The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-10
WILSON FEARS
DEFEAT FOR HIS
DEFENCE PLAN
Will Summon Leaders to
Decide on Il More Ag-
grrs>iye Campaign.

COP. AID REQUIRED
TO PASS MEASURES
v,su,xGroN. Jan. e.-President Will |
nm and his advisers are now alive to the
,,c, that it will require all the power of
the Administration. supplemented by Re
,ub,car support. to push the prepared
,,s. programme through Congress-. and
.ven then there is grave danger OF failure
IN regard 10 the army plan.
The foreign complications involving
the United states have tended to OBJ
azure the developments In the prepared
ness issue. but Administration leaders
nave decided now that a strong public
amaign must be undertaken and no
,me .os, IN combating the attacks that
are bcins made on the Presidents pro-
sramme
This Congress came into being on
December +. vet no substantial progress
has been made On the defence bills and
NO consideration has been given to reve-
~. measures to deiray the cost of army
and navy expansion that the President
insists is imperative.
It's rather significant that all speeches
O. the subject of defence delivered thus
lar this session by House Democrats
haye been hlrshly critical of the Presi-
dents programme. Significance also Is
attached L. the fact that UP to date no
Administration leader In the House or
ssnat" has taken the pains to make a
speech IN support OF the programme or
t. reply - the party critics who have
Gs.a.ied IL.
Republican Aid Necessary.
!, : now known by everybo i'm the
house where defence bills are to be
.ygiiatcd, that the President will have
TO depend on Republican votes TO put
through his programme In That body.
Predct!vn Is made that approximately
AAty Democrats Will desert the Admins
uation on this proposition.
As tn. Democrats now have only a
majority of 25 in the House il will thus
De seen that the Administration will be
compelled TO steer course that will
assure the. support OF considerable
number Of Republicans.
Democratic opponents of the defence
bills have been active aud alert from
The beginning Of the session, whereas
programme have been singularly passive
and difiident. The little navy" menu
bers have perfected "A good working Or
San.zation. and they are playing for
delay.
In furihering the campaign of delay
they have the support of Representative
kichin, the Democratic House leader.
tnd are being openly encouraged to fight
The Administration by William j. Bryan.
In Nh hn h.f.
bills through Congress the Administra-
uon has undoubtedly been handicapped
BY the attitude OF the responsible Demo-
cratic leaders in the two houses. Rep
geseutaliNe kitchin Is an out and out
opponent of preparedness as advocated
by the President, while Senator Kern of
Indiana. the Senate leader, is "A critic
o. the policy dnd Will lend no help TO
the Administration in this emergency.
Conference for Action.
There is good reason to believe that
conference will be held soon at the
White House to devise ways and means
10 pu' Tn. defence bills through the
House as cNpeditiously as possible. As
iAlugS are now drifting action on the
6is would be delayed until late In the
session, whereas the Administration
Sdn,, them pushed along before the
Democratic national convention IL called
20 order on June II.
y is understood that the President
sd his advisers viii confer with the
leaders m Congress who favor the de-
renee programme, with II view to forcing
VI" adoption of more aggressive methods
III handling the measures.
~ present mere Is no one in Con-
s5">s lo whom the advocates of pre-
.1redutss may look as the official
s,oh'sman Of the Administration. The
te'tnce programme is equally divided
~ the iiOusc between the Military and
naval committees, and neither has made
..N SUBSTANTIAL progress on any pend
ms proposition. This defect in organ
'!dtou. D. Is understood, will soon be
'rnr .ol hy direction OF the President.
Before Congress met II was the hope
o' the Administration that Speaker
LARK would direct the fight for pre-
.tir'n'ss N the House. Aside from de-
4lWg that he favored adequate de-
!eAee Mr.. Clark, however. has had
"''h.ng 10 say on the subject since Con-
tIess met
Obstructive Tactics.
On Monday of last week the House
HaNt. committee began consideration
o' IN" naval appropriation bill, Hear
"s' were neld daily. Through OBJ
h.A.''E' 'dttl"s lnterpoeed by RepreSen-
'a'Nes lIcnsley and galloway. 'iittle
navy members, only few paragraphs
o. Me bll we're considered during the
week
Furthermore 'little navy" members.
heaard hy Representative Hensley. in
ss"d that before Congress adopts the
uefence bills IT shall pause in its labors
:" HN"-igdt" the various organizations
'"dt nave been formed TO further the
''4he ot plcpircdness, The subject will
(''he W. Tor consideration tomorrow be-
''fe TIE House Committee on Rules The
agitation ior such an inquiry was begun
Nv nose VINO hope by this means TO
|Ho" Obstacles In The pathway OF the
deieLc, b.lls.
II may be said on authority that the
AHmir-trauon has been advised that
H'I' rs ltlle prospect for the adoption
u ''mplete programme to enlarge
we 'dn1 d"tcnces Of the country. There
It hi''r opposition to the creation OF a
t"Nn"i'at army az recommended by
H'''ritt5 Garrison. The idea IL preva
'"' INA. SECRETARY Garrison would build
'. lhc coat i.nental army at the expense
W me sat" militia and this has aroused
tOsll.
"hI, iN" Continental army plan will
W. NouI'> opposed and possibly defeated
t'r% H ms session will establish the
"".'d "n = pay basis. Whether Con-
sit'S "i, consent to enlarge the mobile