Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1916-04-04
SAYS HAY BILL
IS A MENACE
Appeal Addressed to Members Of Con.
sress by the President Of the Ma
tionai Security League to Vote
Against the Hay Bill as, in
it's Present Weak Form,
II Would Be a Menace
to the Country.

Dear Sir: take the liberty of
writing you, knowing that you are
deeply Interested in the legislation af-
fecting Preparedness and that. not
withstanding the many calls upon your
time, you are giving the matter serious
attention.
AT the present time, there is nothing
of more Importance to the people OF
this country than a proper solution OF
the Preparedness question. 1t means
not only national safety but must be
carefully considered, as it will prevent
many appropriations for other meas
ures of merit.
The League, of which | have the
honor to be president. has to a degree
been responsible for public interest in
this subject. We have throughout had
the determination not alone to induce
Legislation for preparedness. but to be
certain that such Legislation is econo-
mical and effective. Personally, Il
would rather see no legislation than
that which is wasteful and inefficient.
| want particularly to appeal to you
to consider the situation created by
| the imminence of passage of the Hay
bill. 1t does not provide for a system
| of organization for the army on the
lines recommended by the govern
ment's own experts nor by the best
civilian expert opinion. II does not
| furnish us sufficient men or reserve of
/ officers 10 give us a first line of de-
| fense, and il utilizes the militia with
out legal liberalization in a manner
and to an extent which history and all
our own experience shows to be abso-
lutely impracticable-facts to be borne
in mind Notwithstanding the skillful
efforts of the militia lobby, which has
been so active in Washington. \
The whole scheme of the bill is
thoroughly unscientific. If enacted, 1t
will not provide an effective army.
| 1t is waste of public money and a
danger to the republic, especially as
it gives false sense of security. It's
passage would be loss and menace
TO the country.
| | would rather see our present army
abolished or reduced TO mere con.
stabulary force than to have public
money used for an organization such
as is proposed by Mr.. Hay. In these
times, when the people have so many
demands made upon them, improper
use of public funds in its results is as
much to be condemned as is actual
theft from the treasury.
i To order the men of this country
into any war without sufficient num-
bers or improperly trained and
equipped, is to simply send the brave
and intelligent men constituting our
forces. regular or volunteer to certain
death. The Hay bill not only does
not provide for the protection of the
country, but II penalties those who at.
tempt to serve the nation.
Partial defense, OF the sacrifice of
valiant lives, is, in the terms OF mod.
eTn war. of no value. and to appro.
pirate large sums to give us but partial
defense must. am sure, be recognized
by you as criminal waste under the
present conditions.
) l would ask you whether you do not
feel 1t is time to face the issue of
preparedness and to determine wheth.
er we are to have no army or navy
other than a mere constabulary force.
or a sufficient measure of prepared.
ness to maintain with dignity our po.
; sition as nation and insure the pre-
aervatlon of the lives mad liberties of
our people.
; AS | am writing to you, / take the
liberty of calling your attention to one
other fact, the result of experience be.
fore vast audiences, and that is. that
found not only here but in the West
that they approve with practical
unanimity the idea of universal obi.
! gatory training of the youth of our
land. They recognize that Il is a dem.
ocratic way of obtaining a peoples
army; that II renders militarism i'm.
, possible; that IL win add to individual
efficiency; It will bring understanding
among the classes, and add life and
health to the people, who will receive
. an endowment of patriotism through
service to their country, otherwise un.