The Washington herald., 1916-03-19
PARTIES CLASH
over HAY BILL
Republican Leaders Denounce
Army Measure as Being
Utterly Inadequate"
CLARK LAUDS PROJECT
Presidents Bill" Termed So by Spon-
sor. Endorsed by Speaker in
Burst of Oratory.

General debate on the Hay army bill
in the House ended yesterday with a wide
divergence of views as to it's merits!
Cnlooked-for clashes of opinion among
leaders characterized the debate through
out the day.
Speaker Champ Clark ended the ten
hours of oratory with an unqualified In
dorsement of the bill shortly after 1t had
been denounced by Republican Leader
7 Mann as utterly inadequate"
An amendment by Representative Kahn,
of California, to Increase the army to
10000 men was left pending when the
House adjourned.
Earlier in the day. in answer to ques-
tons by Representative Moore, of Penn
sylvania, Chairman Hay declared that
the bill had the full approval of the
President. and was practically "the Pres
dents BILL"
Judging by the progress made yester-
day under the five-minute rule. when the
bill was taken up by paragraphs, it will
be at least a week before a vote is taken
on the bill, even If an organized fight
against it does not develop.
Representative Kahn declared in favor
of the bill, but later voted for an amend
ment offered by Representative Gardner,
increasing the privates in the coast ar
tillery corps by 5000 over the number
authorized by the bill. This amendment,
after hot discussion between Mr.. Hay
and Mr.. Gardner, was defeated. An
amendment offered by Representative
Fields. of Kentucky, raising the rank and
pay of the chief of coast artillery from
brigadier general to major general, was
agreed to without objection.
Takes Middle Stand.
Speaker Clark said in part:
There are certain fundamental propo-
sitions on which the vast majority Of the
American people are agreed: First. they
want peace, but not peace at any price :
they want peace with honor
Second: They do not intend to sec this
country turned into an armed camp.
! They are unalterably opposed always
have been and forever will be. until the
republic is on its last legs, to a large
sta nding army.
Third: They are not willing to bank
ruPt the country in military and naval
preparations. They arc, however. will
ing to spend all that is necessary for the
public defense.
Fourth: They are almost to a man
against CONSUMPTION in times Of peace,
| but they are for 1t should it become
necessary in times OF war"
Representative Mann. of Illinois, Repub-
lican leader of the House. declared that
the increase authorized by the Hav bill
casion arises for even miniature war"
In the greatest of wars, now going
on. neither side will be too careful of
the interests OF outsiders" he said.
we constitute the greatest neutral DOW
er in the world. We expect to speak
with some authority. 1t is the duty
OF the Omitted States to prepare now
an army which will add to the weight
Of the reasons and the suggestions which
We may make.
The President favors this bill. But
this is not preparation for trouble: this
Is only preparation for peace. To me
the time has come in the relations of
our country to the world when I think
1t wise for US to consider the possibility,
as we'll as the probability, and to pre-
pare now for what may or might not
come to us. With the war spirit run
ming throughout the world, in this, the
greatest and richest nation of the world.
1t were idle to say that we should leave
ourselves utterly unprepared for possible
war in the sublime confidence that God
will take care Of US as he does Of drunk-
en- men,