The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-07-05
CONGRESS PUSHES
 GREAT MEASURES
 FOR U. s. DEFENSE
Preparedness Bills Will Be Notable Accomplishment
 For Democrats.


 Democratic Party will deprive the Re- publicans of one of their most impor- tant issues and furnish convincing evil dence of the wisdom of the President in urging that the Nation be prepared for any eventuality.
 The enactment of the Naval Bill will complete the programme mapped out by him last November, and on a more pretentious scale than that rec commended by him.
 Before the end of the year the coun- try will be much more adequately pre- pared for war on both land and sea than ever before in it's history.
 Huge Strides of Year.
 It will have provided the foundation on which to build a naval establish ment that in point of efficiency will compare with that of Great Britain, even if it is smaller in number of fighting units and gross tonnage.
 sThe military arm of its forces will be more than tripled as compared with a year ago, in point of numbers, equip ment and reinforcement in the way of armament, aerial development and assured supplies of munitions.
 Instead of a little navy which a considerable element of the President s own party associates in Congress fla vored, there will be ''big navy" ca pablo of upholding the national honor and protecting its interests and citi- zens both at home and abroad.
 A greater force of infantry, cavalry, artillery and engineer units are now under arms and engaged in tasks more nearly approximating war service than at any time since the Civil War.
 And more extraordinary than any of these achievements is the fact that the Democratic Congress, which three short months ago threatened open re- bellion against the President has dis carded parsimony and appropriated with prodigal hand the wherewithal to providei for them.
 The Republican minority, which tauntehi and jeered at their Democratic confreres for "stinginess," and accused them of sacrificing patriotism for the pork barrell," having been rudely jolted into the realization that the Democratic criticism of the Presi- dents preparedness programme was more conversational than real.
 The leaders of the opposition have been compelled to admit that when the Democrats actually tackled the task so wisely mapped out for them by their President they made good job of 1t. There are no gibes and jeers from the Republican side of either chamber nowadays. On the contrary, some Republicans who de- risively rebuked the Democrats for timidity and even cowardice, are voic- ing feeble criticisms of extravaganza.
 To Wilson Is the Credit.
 In the light of past performances there could be no higher tribute to the Democratic President. It is to him personally that the credit for the Dem ocratic awakening is accorded by his political opponents because the major ity of the leaders of his party were professionally hostile to the prepar- edness programme he mapped out eight months ago.
 / Now all that has been changed The figures tell the story of the reformation of Democrats in Congress more elo- quently than verbal arguments. The last annual provision for the army was $140,OOO,00O. The Army Bill passed by the present Congress calls for, $3S2,0O0,O00 in round num- bers. Last year the navy cost the Nation $149,O00,000. During the com ing year the country will spend $313,- 826,843 on it. Instead of providing two dreadnoughts, which conservative plan was opposed by a large number of Democrats in Congress, there will be four. Of battle cruisers, which type of fighting craft had few friends in Congress three months ago, there will be four.
 Other features of the programme ad- vocated by the President which were condemned then have since been ap- proved by Congress, so that the 'tbil- lion-dollar army and navy" projected by him stands a very fair chance of consummatfon.
 The first step toward the realization of it has been provided by Congress in making the appropriation for the coming year reduce the period of ma turity from five to three years, so that the Government will achieve the maxi mum of results in the minimum of time.
 Helped Sway Congress. In accomplishing these results credit is given the President for his far sightedness by the Democrats. The Republicans call it luck There is not much room to doubt the salutary effect on Congress of some of the de- velopments of the European war and the crisis provoked by the hostility of the Carranza Government in Mexico toward the United States.
 The stupendous fight off Jutland between the most formidable of the German and British fleets furnished the little navy men" in Congress with an object lesson that was needed, and substantiated the claims made by off, cers of the Naval General Staff that more big ships were needed in our na- wy. MT. Kitchin, who signalized his ele- vation to the post of House leader by declaring war on almost every feat
 ure of the Presidents preparedness. programme, has become one of the most ardent champions of it. He die not voice the slightest opposition to the big navy plan adopted by the House although he declared only few | months ago that beyond few subma
 rines he would not vote for any in. crease in the present naval force. The House leader, along with other sympathizers, completely withdrew their opposition to the enlarged army programme, and even led the fight fol the measures making the National Guard forces a part of the regula, military establishment of the coun. | try. Further than this, MT. Kitchin su. pervised the preparing of the revenue |