Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-19
GENERAL SHERWOOD, OF OHIO,
PROMINENT DEMOCRAT, oP-
POSES WILSON PROGRAM.
SAYS MONEY is WASTED
ON PRESENT STANDING ARMY
!.effiei.~. and Extr.vasant, He Says
West Point Has Too Many FriiIs-
Sherwood Declares Country Must De-
pend on National Guard For De-
Tense IL Attacked by Other Nation.

Washington. Jan. 1s.-Regardless of
the merits OF tho case, 1t must be adj
mitted that the undergraduates
forces in congress were pretty shrewd
in putting forward Gen. Isaac r. Sher-
wood. Of Ohio. to open their campaign
against the presidents program.
For the general Is not only well
beloved figure in the house and thus
certain to command. on personal
grounds. the close attention Of his col
leagues, but his remarks on the pre-
paredness program has additional
punch" and political significance for
three reasons. First, everybody knows,
because he Is an old soldier, the only
union general surviving from the CIV!
war: second, because he ds democrat
Of unimpeachable standing, and third.
because he is known to be close stu
dent Of the existing military establish
ment. The generals military library
is said to be one Of the largest in
Washington, outside, of the regular
army circles. His position in general
Is that the country should have q small
but highly efficient army.
Present Force Inefficient.
And when i say small and efficient
GUESSING his views, Il don't mean small
and expensive.
That's what we've got now, costly
and inefficient establishment. Why,
you take West Point. In many ways,
West Point is the key to the situation.
for the things which the boys learn at
West Point are the things they viii
believe In and practice when they get
into the service. Back in 1879 when
Grant was president, the appropriation
for West Point was $4,000, which in
cluded $4,000 to pay for the yearly
jamboree Of the congressional commit
tee. Now the appropriation Is more
than two and q half million. It costs
to educate q student at West Point
more than 1880 year, while at the
University Of Ann Arbor the average
ratio Is $44S year.
"You go up to West Point and you
will find $50 regular army privates on
duty there at cost OF $4,000 and no.
body knows what they are there for.
You look into the books and you will
find an order for 1880, pay for tho
military hand and twelve enlisted
musicians: that seems all right. Then
you run across another item Of $5,1S4.
pay for twelve additional musicians.
Your eye goes down the page and you
find $3.50. pay for sixteen additional
enlisted musicians. and an additional
pay for length Of services OF $4,000. In
other words the total amount for
music for West Point for one year is
$4,000. Martial music, hey? or dance
music? When music. heavenly maid,
was young. she did not come that
hight The general thinks that West
Point ought to look less like cluster
Of palaces and more like a barracks.
West Point Elaborate.
plain bare walls and narrow iron
beds-that's all soldier ought to have
when he's indoors. But there are few
fashionable schools more elaborate
than West Point. You find an item of
Asf1 200 for the pay Of photographer
u Id $500 for q professor on swim
}. ing; you find an item of $4,000 to en-
fge the front porch Of the superin-
Hendent. Most anybody could enlarge
q front porch for $4,000! You find an
item Of $4,000 for flowers and $500 for
waxing the floors Of the dancing hall.
The flowers and the wax are for the
benefit OF the seminary girls on the
Hudson river, who come to dance the
twilight tango with the cadets, and en-
, Joy the flavor of rarest flowers and
cxotics while they waltz with the boys
and stand on slippery places.
But the small and fashionable ring
of army and navy officials move
heaven and earth and congress to
maintain the status quo. What the
people Of the United States should de-
mand Is an investigation Of our entire
military establishment from top to
bottom. We have never had one since
the civil war. Take the lid of, guar
antee Immunity from official persecu-
ton to every officer-and private-who
will tell the truth about the way our
men are trained, treated and pro-
noted; about our inefficient units and
our .luxuries unsoldiery establishments.
q have never been a peace-at-any-
price devotee. neither am member
OF any society for limiting armament,
but before vote to waste any more
money to increase idle armies or top
heavy nayies, I want to know what
emergency exists for such expendi-
lures. Not one Of the advocates OF
preparedness has given congress one
3vaNQ Ied6On why We SAOulu 04utaIucS
any more hard-earned tax money on
militarism.
ave have now the second strongest
navy in the world with no enemy in
sight and nothing to do but to waste
powder in target practice and concoct
war scares and give tone and polish to
!, our flamboyant Washington society.
Ye gods, what has become Of the plank
Of the Baltimore national platform,
piedging the democratic party to econ
omy and the abolition of useless Of
AceS n
Pins Faith on Guard.
'tBut what would you do. general?"
he was asked.
well" he said, instead Of increas-
4 In gour standing army which costs us
more than 800. 100000 a year. favor
reducing It one-half, to $4,000 men.
This would probably save close to $780,
900 year, which should be used to
improve and strengthen our national
\ guard, and the national guard-saj
Whist you please-must prove our CHEZ
reliance il war should ever come
would set apart 10000. 900 as a starter
for old age pensions for the workers.
Nothing would do 50 much to aliay
4 the conflict between capital and labor
and make our flag hope and SYM
boil of heipfulness and an inspiration
for patriotism. =