El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-08-10
HUGHES ASSA|LS WEAKNESS IN
Wan MOVE FOR PREPAREDNESS
Points Out How Wilson First Opposed Preparedness,
Then Championed It. How He First Upheld Garrison's
Plans and Then Rejected Them; Explains State
ments Regarding Executive Appointments.

I ready TO live. love and die FOR the United
We Are United People
I desire TO see reinforcement Of the
] American sentiment in that consciousness Of
unity which destroys all possibility Of divi-
sion We must have that inner feeling Of
| intense loyalty; what IS there &c divide Us 6?
| We are a united people and only through
that dominant sense OF unity and loyalty
can we find the force and motive power
which will make US a nation ready TO cope
with the problems of the 20th century
No Excuse for Unpreparedness.
There was excuse for permitting our
regular army TO remain at low a point
that 1t could not perform military duty
| without summoning men unprepared for
service from the length and breadth of the
land This is not spectacle Of a prepared
nation That is a condition for which hold
the administration responsible
Wilson's Change of Heart.
Consider for moment the facts II was
only about a year and half ago that Ger
tain patriotic citizens Were directing atten-
ton TO the need Of preparedness, to the
reed Of the enlargement Of our regular
army And the president Of the United
States formally expressed his opinion that
such persons were nervous. excited. that
there no real occasion for alarm: that
matter 10 be considered 3 q real eNigency.
Then there came the torch Of another
leader What change in sentiment WIS
wrought overnight in the councils Of the ad-
-ninistration7 There was feeling that an
eNigency did exist and that something
should be done That it wos no longer
sight which required immediate action
Garison's Plan Failed.
There was an able secretary OF war and
he devoted himself with astuteness 10 the
problem and he worked out plan. He
thought he had pinned the administration
that il would stay put: ] don't believe
you could pin the administration TO any pol
icy that would stay put. Wei. the matter
got SO bad that IL was presented to congress
Only few months ago Z formally
stated that our present demand called for
this. forthwith raising the regular armv
fact somewhat less-of about 100000 to 141--
600 and a citizen reserve Of 400. 000. trained
ty federal authority in the annual install
ments Of $4,000 each.
His Resignation.
Now how long did that stay put7 WIZ. !
within a short time the plan abandoned; !
the secretary Of war resigned and in his |
correspondence with the president he prac- !
inexcusable abandonment-I cont use his !
exact words. but this was the substance Of ]
it-of a program deemed to he necessary. /;
Why Was Plan Abandoned?
Vow. why was It abandoned We have b
had great deal Of talk about executive /
leadership-not conspicuous then. when I
American preparedness was in issue WHY
was il necessary TO go through he land I
dealing with the subject when congress had 4
its mind open 10 know the executives viii
Partisan Expediency Consulted.
''On the contrary there was what I re-
gard as backdown, a change OF front 1t
has always seemed TO me most regretable
that II was q change of front under a con-
oeption OF partisan expediency. We had rs
a result. something which is fraught with
much mystery.
IN the first place. under the army reor-
ganization bill. we have a paper army OF
year ending June 50. 1917. OF about 10000.
and about $1,000 more in the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1915 We have then. 10
rely upon the national guard
Praises the National Guard.
For the boys who have gone forward
TO the duty to which they
cal aH md harr hoo FrTr rfa.H
regular army overnight for service that
they had not contemplated and which 1 do
allied upon TO render-for those boys have
1nstinted praise But condemn the system
Inefficiency l. Manifest.
Then what spectacle was presented
They were not properly equipped when they
tarted. Supplies were not ready FOR them !
which they were transported TO discharge
heir new duties. Why. = was a spectacle
howing inefficiency OF the first magnitude ]
The rights about which there has been
o much discussion are in the main plain !
ights, generally recognized But we live IN
world in arms II would ee the rankest [
oily for Us to invite insult Tor invite Z
he disregard OF our word by having an ,
bvious condition Of unpreparedness- ,
Reasonable Preparedness Not Miltarism.
Preparedness that is reasonable and ade- ,
uate is not militarism- =
An Assurance Of Peace 7
There is militarism in this country I
easonabie preparedness is an assurance u ! j
VI peace. Il is the very buttress Of our
.lf-respect- It is for Us 10 say what we Z ]
lean and have our word regarded. Il / (
leans that when such situation arises as {
here is on the border OF Mexico that we /
re ready to discharge our duty without re-
slling men from their peaceful occupa-
ons from the shops and tho factories and I
lfices all over this land. I
Reasonable adequate preparedness IS a {
-imary national duty, and Il I am elected I Z
-opose to see. SO far as in me lies the pow a
:. that that duty is discharged TO the S
-edit Of the American people And I am I
OF talking simply even prima rily OF Z
urnbers- Efficiency IS only matter OF 8
umbers TO a certain extent Thoroughness / :
h. absence Of waste. up 10 date methods I 2
t. availing Of scientific investiga riou the ! :
etsr-rl nation 10 20 forward sensiblv ex- ,