The Meeker herald., 1916-04-01
The Army Bill.

This weeks Keating letter from
the National capitol, comments on
the bill, increasing the army, as fol-
lows:
Washington, d. c., March 27-Aft-
er months of consideration and pub
lie debate, the House of Representa-
tives last week passed the first of the
So called national defense" bills
the Hay bill to reorganize and
strengthen the army and the national
guard.
A significant thing in connection
with the action Of the House WAS the
practical unanimity of opinion dis
played by Democrats and Republic
cans. The final vote was 402 to2
The most serious division came on
the Kahn amendment providing for
an army with peace footing of 22O-
600 as against 10000 men authorized
by the administration measure.
The House sustained the admins
tration by substantial majority.
Party lines went to pieces, some
Democrats voting for the larger force
and many Republicans advocating
the smaller peace footing
One of the best speeches delivered
during this debate was made by Con-
gressman Mckenzie, n leading Re-
publican from Illinois. l quote the
following paragraphs as l believe
they express the majority sentiment
OF the House, and they are significant
as revealing the attitude of IA large
section of the Republicans in the
Middle West:
SENTIMENTS OF A REPUBLICAN,
This bill was not brought in here
reck lessly and without consideration.
We had the men before us who advO-
ca ted bulldogs for defence. We had
before us men and women, good peo-
pie, good citizens of this land of ours,
who advocated white doves for pro-
lection. But we steered between the
two and brought in bill that pro-
vides for lIO,OOO men of the line in
UltIle Vi pedCe, anu we iciu Ildl VIC
were doing II reasonable thing.
"Mr. Chairman. l am Republican.
am proud of the traditions of my
party. glory in its past and in all
the great things it has done for the
country. But am astounded today
to hear certain sentiment uttered by
men who for is years controlled the
destinies of this country, and yet in
Massachusetts (Mr. Gardner,) did
my colleague from Illinois (Mr. Mad
den,) did the gentlemen from New
York and Massachusetts or Pennsyl-
vania come into this House with n
bill asking to increase the Military
Establishment of our country? Gap
piause.) No. And even with trouble
in the Philippines, with trouble ev-
erywhere, they fixed the maximum
limit in peace times at 10000 men.
Now. fellow members of this
House, want to ask you, Do these
gentlemen know the lair of the lion
that is about to leap upon us? Gap
plaus.) l challenge them to point
out to me, to you, to the people of
the country, whence comes this dan
ger now. when during is long years
men on this side of the House stood
for much smaller Military Estab-
lishment than we propose in this bill.
II say to you that the red-blooded
men of the country do not demand
this big military establishment. ZAP
plause.) The red -blooded men of this
country fear no enemy, and do not
ask that their fellow citizens may be
burdened with taxation in order that
men in the regular army may be
jumped from corporal to major gen
eral. (Applause.) 1t is only few
people who are putting their money
into sending kilograms to you and me
to beat us down and compel us to put
this burden upon the people. Fellow
members of the House, in Gods
name, do not be carried away by hys-
terra, but be calm, deliberate, reso-
lutte, as statesmen should be-" Gap
plause.)
NOT AN EXTREME MEASURE
The bill will not meet with the APP
proval Of the extreme militarists, but
they would be satisfied with nothing
less than a standing army of half a
million men and compulsory military
training for all able bodied men. The
majority Of our people are not pre-
pared for such radical departure
from our traditional policy. They
wish however, to be assured that we
are in position to defend our rights
and above all to quickly and effect
might conceivably be landed on our