The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-11


 officered and trained by the respective states.
 MILITIA IS INSECURE "The very first line of cleavage, therefore, which must be encountered and dealt with by the student of the situation is between reliance upon a system of state troops, forever subject to constitutional limitations which rem der them absolutely insecure as a re- lance for the nation, or reliance upon national forces raised, officered, trained and controlled by the national authori- 1 tles Upon this subject there does not exist, and there cannot legitimately eX- | 1st, any difference of opinion among those who are unbiased and who believe in real national security and defense. The policy recommended to you and aoopted by you, squarely placed the na- ton upon the sure foundation of national | forces. If that policy is made effective by leglslation there will be secured to this c@mtry for the first time a real, stable Foundation for the military part | of it's national defense. Tf however, in stead thereof policy is adopted based | upon the state troops as the main re- rance or this country for it's military arm. not only has no advance been made | from the deplorable and inexcusa ble situ- atlon in which we have so long been, but an effective block has been placed
 
 settlement. The adoption of such a policy would serve to delude the people into believing that the subject had been settled and therefore required no further consideration upon their part. Tt would, therefore in my judgment, be infinitely worse than an entire failure of all legis- lature enactment upon the subject The latter would at least leave it open for future settlement.
 
 T, of Course, am not advised as to the statements of intention made by MT. Hay to you in the conversations held with you prior to your message to Con- sress at the opening of the present ses- sion. l have always felt and have so expressed myself to you, that the situa- tion in the Congress was such that un- less you personally exerted the power of your leadership you would not obtain any worthy results in this matter MT. Hay has now made open declara- ton Of his intention. He announces that he does not intend to press for the en- actment of the military policy advocated in your message. With respect to the regular army he does not purpose giving 1 us the organizations asked for, and inn reratively necessary if the federal volun- ! teers (so-called continental army) are to be properly trained; he purposes add ing a few thousand men to the enlisted strength of the army in it's present or | ganlzs.ton, the adding of a few regi- ments of field artillery to the existing organizations of the regular army the entire abandonment of the idea of a federal force of national volunteers, and the passing of a bill granting direct fed eral pay to the enlisted men and officers of the state troops.
 In my judgment, the effect of the en- actment of Mr. Hays programme would a t0 cot konI rhn1c Df ncriti mate, honest national defense in an en- tirely unjustifiab.e and inexcusable way. It would be, in my judgment, a betrayal of the trust of the people in this re- gard. It would be illusory and apparent without any reality or substance.
 HOUSE NOT INTERESTED
 There is, unfortunately, very little knowledge and very little intense per- sonal interest in any of the members of the House concerning military affairs. Apart from the power that always re- sides in every chairman of committee, Mir. Hay has the additional power of dealing with subject concerning which the rest of the House has no knowledge and about which it has never concerned itself. In this particular instance his proposal of settling this matter by voting money to the enlisted men and officers of the state troops appeals to the direct
 
 hers. In these circumstances it seems to me to he perfectly clear that unless you i1,terpoSe your position as leader of the country on this great subject, the result will he lamentable one which I have just descrif ed.
 ''It seems to me equally imperative that this 1nterposition should be immediate. 1f this proposed programme of MT. Hay is accepted by the committee and by public opinion, and by the House, as a. real solution of this vital matter, any position subsequently, taken will be neg ligible so far as substantial, actual re- suits are concerned.
 "Fhe issue must be plainly and clear ly drawn. It has nothing whatever to do with the numbers of men to be raised or with the means of raising them, as MT. Hay would have it ap- pear that it has. It is between two absolutely different systems, one of which is based upon the nation un- dertaking upon it's own responsibility the raising and management of the na- tional troops; and the other of which leaves us in the position that we have always been in since the institution of the government-to rely upon the states doing this thing for the nation "a situation in which the nation is relying upon a military force that it does not raise. that it does not off cer, that it does not train and that it does not control A mere statement of the situation shows that the two different proposals are as wide apart as any two proposals upon any sub- ject possibly can be.
 LACK OF UNITY
 MT. Hays proposal to include a draft or compulsory provision so that at the outbreak of war the nation could bring under it's control these state troops. utterly fails to meet the essential objections to the perpetua- tion of the militia system. The diff culty to be dealt with does not arise out of the government not being able to take over these troops in the event of war, but arises out of it's in ability, under the constitution, to have the es- sential unity of responsibility, author ity and control in the raising, officer ing, training and governig of its mili- tary forces.
 "If the public obtains the impression that MT. Hays solution Is merely an other means of accomplishing the same end as your proposed policy they will accept the same and rest content that their desires have been properly met. If. on the other hand, they are clearly and unmistakably advised that to adopt the policy suggested by MT. Hay is to make a mockery of all that was worthy and virtuous in the proposal of proper military policy and that it. is a delusion to consider such a so- lution as real reliance or security, then there is hope that we can ob- necessities of the case and with self