The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-02-05

TO the Editor: Do the American
people know anything about what the
United States is, or has been, doing
along the lines of defense? OF course
nobody thinks offense. Let us look
at some of the preparations. Ten
years ago a special board was APP.
pointed TO investigate our coast de
lenses. What has become of that
board? Its report is probably pigeon
holed along with the report of the
commissioners, who were sent over 70
Europe to study rural credits" but
we have statements of some of our
men i'm authority which will give us
a little light. We Will take the state
ment of Admiral Fletcher, the high
est officer in Il navy. He says our
navy is superior to any other except
E~ngland's, and that we have two
d-readnaughts superior to any owned
by England. Admiral Badger, who
was the ranking officer before
Fletcher, agreed with this statement.
Secretary Daniels in December. 1914,
said, Il think when the war is over
i'm Europe hat the people are going
to demand the cessation of this ever
increasing burdensome expense of
war" He also said at that time that
he thought it would be most un-
wise" for us to change III policy in
regard to navy armament during the
present war.
President Wilson, one year ago,
{ didn't want this country turned into
G an armed camp" What's happened
e to these people within the past year?
4 Teddy says we want forty dread
naughts. Edison says, by the time
' we get them built. they will be obso-
lete, and go 10 the junk pile. Why
!, is il hat all the prancing warrior.
who are in such haste to prepare. art
J. saving nothing in favor of the gov
q eminent assuming the task of max
/ ing its munitions, building dread
II naughts, submarines and making III
L armor plate and guns Gen. CrOZiel
comes out in the open and oppose.
y government manufacture, while h'
intimates that the government SHOULD
do something 10 encourage privat'
munition plants. To be sure, en-
enlargement is good.
.e Gen. Murray, chief of the coast de
- 8lRl1GNs GhNG OhtD 10 AllE btnt III AAA
e world" He only suggests that som.
Y provision be made to protect SOM
stretches OF u%nguarded coast. and h
+ further says that volunteers can b
taught in a few days to handle tn.
le big guns.
e This would seem TO dispose of tn
/ contention that ii required tire
n, years drill TO make a soldier.
/ An army officer recently before tn
house military commission said, wv
T can now manufacture twenty aero
he planes per day, and in case of wa
could count on 100 per day Off
e GERS of the army who are in positio
n TO know the facts, say that the coun
rs try is in better shape for defense to
of day than it has been at any time sine
De the civil war. We have spent NOR
IT money ON our navy in the last tie
years than any country in the worlc
e save England. The fact is that tn
Sc same old gang of contractors who ru
+ a bluff on Mckinley and brought o
the Spanish war, are now ready I
blow up another Maine" or commi
any other outrage, so they can stan
pede the people. To read some OF tn
mouthings of these militarists on
would think the government of tn
United States was an autocracy; thu
l. the people had nothing to say. 1t
to be hoped that the South Dakot
delegation in congress will let it b
known that they are of the people.
H. p. Smith.
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