New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-25
Accept the Chamberlain Bill!

II the House Of Representatives mas
any genius for opportunism-any instinct
for the psychological moment at which
10 retreat from an untenabe position
it will accept with as little delay as
possible the Senate's draft Of the army
reorganization bill. The Senate meas
ure. though not adequate in all re
spects. at least makes a real start toward
the creation Of real army. 1t Is legls-
lation which the country sorely needs, and
which the next Congress viii have TO put
through if this Congress fails to rise now
to the height Of its duty and opportunity
The House bill is a makeshift-a feeble
scheme Of deception. 1t is ant-prepared-
ness wearing the mask Of prepared
ness. Mr.. Hay. the author Of the House
bill. has fought for years TO keep the mill
tary establishment weak and antlquated.
His ideal is a regular army composed OF
professional soldiers. making soldering
life business. so limited in numbers that
II can merely police our borders and gar
r.son our outlying possessions IN time OF
neace and can never be modified in sufii-
Gent strength to give the higher officers
chance to learn how to handle troops under
the conditions which must prevail in act
raj warfare.
wear ago Mr.. Hay was stubbornly
opposed to any increase Of the regular es-
adjustment. He agreed with President
Wilson that those who talked about en-
larging the standing army were nervous
and excited" He disagreed utterly with
Secretary Garrison, and when ne discov-
cred last fall that the President had been
won over TO the support of Mr.. Garrison
mans for increasing the regular army to
10000 and creating a continental army
Of 100000 men he quietly accepted the
Increase Of 1000 in the regular force and
went to work to bring about the Secre-
,arv's downfall by setting up federal
lied" national guard as a substitute for
the continental army.
The "federalized" national guard
scheme was interlarded with politics and
pork" and the interests behind it were
powerful enough TO detach the President
from the continental project and to COM
nit him TO the Hay bill. The Senate has
had the courage to stand out against the
sacrifice Of all real preparedness to the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the national guard. II
has restored the continental organization
and has raised the authorized strength Of
the standing army in time Of peace to 25O,-
900 men. The increase above 10000 IS
unfortunately made optional with the
President. Yet under any administration
with sound ideas this option will undoubt-
edlv be promptly and fully exercised.
The Senate has come very near to full
filing the immediate requirements OF our
military situation. The House has failed
absolutely in fulfilling them. Since the
House voted on the Hay measure the need
# military preparation has become far
more pressing and obvious. The Hay bull
* utterly indefensible in the light OF what
as happened in Mexico. 1t is utterly in
defensible in the light Of the Presidents
own revelations of our strained and
rnenacing relations with Germany.
1t is time to throw overheard Mr.. Hay
and his schemes Of quasi-preparedness.
The House will eventually have to range
itself on the side OF logic and common
sense. II might as well yield gracefully
20 the inevitable. 1t should accept the
Chamberlain bill in toto, and accept it now.