New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-15
Slater Bill Passes After
Preparedness" Message
from Whitman.
THOMPSON ASSAILED
AS UNPATRIOTlC
Mills Puts Only Opponent Of
Measure in Class with
Bryan and Ford.

Prom d >fa~ Correspondent Or Tho lrnuESl
Albany. April "a In fiery speech
on preparedness before the Senate this
evening Senator Mills denounced
Senator Thompson, the Investigator,
for an 81 didn't raise my boy to be a
soldier" speech which the latter had
made in opposition to the Slater bill
providing for military training for
boys between the ages OF is and le.
The bill was considered out Of its
regular order and passed by vote Of
II to /. Thompson being the only
Senator 20 vote in the negative. This
action was taken after Governor Whit
man had sent a special message urging
preparedness legislation
The rollcall on final passage had
6een almost completed when Senator
Thompson obtained permission 10 ex-
plain his vote.
81 do not want my twelve-year-oid
boy TO carry SIDE arms Senator
Thompson said 81 talked recently
with an English officer who had just
come from the trenches. He had r.
bullet hole in his neck and he had
been promoted for bravery. asked
him what the war was about, and he
said he did not know. do not want
my boy armed to go TO war that
we don't know anything about Some
day it may be necessary to have him
armed. But not while there is danger
Of getting into a conflict OF which We
are absolutely ignorant.
Say Talk Brings War.
"lt is the wrong time 20 talk about
war and all these things. 1t is the
talk abou, war which brings war. This
is the sentiment OF the great majority
of the people where live"
Senator Mills jumped to his feet
when Senator Thompson had finished.
Every time / hear ne unpatriotic
and dangerous "a speech as We just had
/ feel il must be answered" he said.
The Senator does not belong IN this
state. He belongs 10 Nebraska. with
that statesman who has been travelling
about the country crying out these dan
cerous beliefs. Go into Belgium and
see the terrible ruin there brought
about by just such failure TO he ready
"a we have mere.
lie says, Lets not get ready, be
cause we are not IN danger and tins
Tin will invite war lie says. Don't
let US get ready. because If we resent
insults and insist on our rights we
may have to fight and get bullet
through our neck If this is Ameri-
can. if this is patriotic. then God save
this country! | do not think he rep
resents the sentiments Of this country
or OF any considerable number OF peo-
pie.
81 suppose il is Idle TO answer such
q speech. but without Henry Fords and
our organs real Americans feel that the
manhood Of this country demands that
we assert our rights
Whitman Urges Preparedness.
In his message Governor Whitman
said in part:
Our state. from ita position at the
seaboard and from the extent OF its
territory and population, its commerce
and industry. is vitality affected By the
problem Of national security. In no
more effective and practical manner
can il contribute toward such security
and insure its contribution Of trained
citizens than by providing physical ex-
ercise for. and imparting the principles
Of discipline and subordination 20 au-
thority to every youth as part Of his
education and every reasonable degree
Of military training for all youths
above the age Of fifteen years.
THE advantage not only from mill
tarv standpoint but in its effect upon
tho phvsical and moral wellbelng Of
our citizenry generally would be in
calculablc.'
The Slater bill provides for com
mission to prepare plans and appro-
pirates 100000 for the purpose.