The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-02

THE people of Birmingham the
i people of Alabama in general
should respond generously to the call
for aid in behalf of the flood sufferers
in the southern part of the state; and
whatever is to be done for the relief
of the starving families-there are
hundreds of them
Flood Sufferers should be done
Crying for Relief now. Do not walt
to see what the
government is going to do. Destltu-
ton prevails in many sections OF the
south and Congress will vote liberal
appropriation to be divided among
the various states that have suffered
from the recent floods. But more aid
will be needed than that which can De
exnected to come from the federal
treasury.
The citizens of Alabama have been
called upon time and again to relieve
suffering in this and other states
when disaster has overtaken the peo-
pie of a given local or district. Not
often has distress been more acute or
widespread than it is today in certain
counties of Alabama; and in view OF
that fact no urging for contributions
should be needed.
Governor Henderson's appeal was
made after he had investigated the
situation. The extent of destruction
cannot we'll be overstated. The gov
ernor has requested each judge of pro-
bate to receive and forward to the re-
lief fund treasurer at Selma all dona-
tions. Judge J. P. Stiles of Jefferson
county has received several contribu-
tions, but they should come faster.
They should pour in from now on.
A T the republican notification
n meeting Monday night Mr..
Hughes consumed more than an hour
in talking, but he said very little
that bore the slightest relation to
constructive craftsmanship. His adj
dress concerned itself chiefly with
President Wilson's
Hughes Idea of international poll
National Defense cies, especially the
admins tration's
treatment of Mexico.
It was a speech of faultfinding,
but there was nothing in it to indi-
cate that the Hughes would have been
more successful in handling difficult
problems than Mr.. Wilson has been.
One of the few sentences that told
what the country might expect if Mr..
Hughes and a republican Congress
were elected was that in which he
said it seemed plain to him that our
regular army is too small He takes
no stock in the plan of calling out the
organized militia to supplement the
regulars. 1--WE are too great a coun-
h. eoiI 10 IF oitI
zens who are engaged in peaceful vo-
cations the sort of military service
to which they are now called"
There are certain business inter
ests that would like to see standing
army of 100000 or more, but the
vast majority of the intelligent peo-
pie of the United States take a diff
ferent view of the question. An eff
ficient army of 100000 to 100000
men should be adequate in time OF
peace, provided there is large and
efficient National Guard ready to re-
spond to the Presidents call when the
services of the militia are needed.
A regular army of the size familiar
to European nations is very expen-
sive luxury. Moreover big army does
not comport with the genius of a re-
public such as ours. Even COM
paratively small army, such as this
country will maintain as part of the
democratic preparedness programme
is looked upon by. many citizens with
more or less disapproval. Let Mr.
Hughes on the stump, suggest
: great standing army, as that tern