The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-18
KansaH Opposes Large Increase
of Coast Defenses.
But "VioIated Best Judgment
and Voted for 1t.
CLARK TAKES FLOOR FOR IT
Saws L. s. Doesn't Want Peace
at ANY Price.
Also Unalterably Opposed TO
Large Standing Army.

Washington, March 1S--Speaker
Clark abandoned the chair and took
the floor in the house today to speak
for the administration army bill He
declared it was as good as could be eX-
pected under the circumstances and
predicted it would have the general
support of the country
Summing up what he believed to be
the view of the American people, on
the present situation, he said:
They want peace, but not peace at
any price. They want peace with
the most brilliant Englishman since
Lord Byron-boasted that he took
home with him from the congress or
Berlin, peace with honor
While peace is the normal condi-
ton of Americans and while they love
it most fondly, they believe thoroughly
that there are things worth fighting
fora belief which they have demon
strated with guns in their hands on all
proper occasions. They are sure, if
needs be, to do so again. They believe
that the Revolutionary war and the
War of 1912 were, on our parts, just
and necessary wars.
Big Army-Despotism.
They do not intend to see this
country turned into an armed camp.
They are unalterably opposed, and
forever will be, to a large standing
had big standing army here. they
know full we'll that in other countries
huge standing armies have been the
instruments of despotism.'
Army and civilian critics of the
present army and of the National
Guard have overshot their mark, Rep
resentative Anthony (RepubIican) of
Kansas said.
Il want to say that what army we
have today is the best in the world"
Il Il
the world equals it,
Backed by the provisions of the bill.
Representative Anthony said, all the
military necessities of the nation
would be met with the increases pro-
posed. Representative Anthony pro-
Voked an argument by stating his con-
viction that it was unnecessary to add
any guns or men to the coast de-
fenSes. The bill provides 80 addition
al coast artillery corps companies ami
Mr. Anthony said he had violated his
own best judgment in voting for this
section.
Il am glad you did" interjectct.
representative Moore.
Opposes Anthony's Argument.
Representative Sherley, chairman
of the Notifications committee, said
his seven years study of coast de
lenses had convinced him more men
were needed.
Representative Mann, the minority
leader, in d fifteen minute speech, at
tackled the bill as being inadequate to
meet the demands of the present time
1t seems to me- he said. this bill
rails far short of what it ought to be.
we are having a little trouble on the
border of Mexico and are sending a
lew soldiers into that country. The
time for this came fter we had
troops OF the border for four years in
contemplation of that very thing. Yet
When these troubles occurred. these
troops were not actually sent across
the border until the house had passed
a resolution ordering an increase Of
10000 men to take the places of ths
rev soldiers who might cross
Never was there "a more patent il
lustration than that of the fact that
ihe present army and the proposed in
crease in it, while sufficient in times
OF actual peace, would not be suffi-
cient in time of war, or when any
occasion arises for even a miniature
war, and today we have the greatest
war of the ages going on