Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-18

A warning as to what awaits
; the United States in Mexico
should this country intervene
there with military forces. "as
some persons believe we shall be
obliged to do whether we want to
do SO or not was voiced TODAY
bv Senator Wadsworth OF New
York in an address delivered at
the morning session OF the con-
vention OF the National Civic
Federation at the New Willard
Hotel, devoted to discussing the
subject what is adequate pre-
paredness for national defense >:
The idea that we shall be obliged
to intervene there" Senator Wads-
worth said. has been living in the
minds of the American people for sew
eral years, but not one step have we
taken to carry out that obligation II
forced upon us 1t has been estimated
for us to go into Mexico. police it, re-
store order and retire, but today we
have only 10000 available mobile
troops. Back of that we have nothing.
The field artillery of the United States
has ammunition enough for only one
general action.
Inadequate Coast Defense.
senator Wadsworth also said that 50
far as the coast defense guns OF the
United States are concerned. in case
greater crisis than the Mexican situa-
tiou should arise" all the coast defemse
ammunition now in possession of the
United states would be fired OF IN
torrv-fiy,, minutes, although. he said.
1--WE nave done "A little better AS 10
nroviding for the Panama canal forti-
fications, for there we have ammuni-
,ion enough to last tor AN hour and
forty-five minutes.
The warning of the senator from
New York came as the first of a series
of stirring pleas for national prepared
ness and among series OF vigorous
attacks on .'peace-at-any price adNo-
cates by speakers of national promi-
nence These included Samuel Cont
pers. president of the American feucr-
alton of Labor: John Hays Hammond
GOV O'Neal of Alabama. Arthur H.
Dadmun. secretary of the Navy League
Of the United States. and Talcott VIII
Iiams dean OF the Pulitzer school Oh
journalism at Columbia thlNerst.H;
Mr. Hammond expressed the belle1
that a Panama canal bond issue 10
meet the cost of national defense would
be less objectiona Bile thin any system
of direct taxation. IF, in pursuance OF
napAmericanisnI,' he said, we are to
extend our sphere of influence, we shall
need a navy of far greater strength
than any other power. with the SOLE
exception of Great Britain. Win
Japan we have other issues IN ADDITION
Wight bring a crisis. Military experts
have urged the utterly deIense;ess
nosition of our Pacific coast against an
invasion by the Japanese
Paramount Duty of America.
unar Gov. O'Neal declared it was
difticult to believe that the 'peace-at-
apvprice" advocates realize the de-
h, sing and demoralizing doctrine they
nreach." He said the paramount duty
of America is preparedness. and he
added: "If preparedness meant the es-
ta ahlishment of more useless army posts
and navy yards in congressional dis
tricts. opposition from members of Con-
gress would disappear. He criticised
the pork barrel, and advocated.
mone other things, the adoption of the
Swiss or Australian plan OF universal
army service TO make up reserve
army.
Declaring that the United States. il
ever defeated in war. would have to pay
an indemnity reaching as high as $780,
BOO. 100000. If the tribute laid oniFrance
by Germany in 1871 may be takAn as