Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-21
Light ON Preparedness

THOSE frequent criticisms of the more mill
1 tanl enemies Of the Navy Department,
headed of course. by Colonel Roosevelt and
Representative Gardner, that Workmanship
on the big ships has become Il lost art re
receive body blow i'll the report Of Admiral
Fletcher. commander-in-chief OF the Atlantic
Fleet just submitted to the Senate.
According TO the vcracious Roosevelt and
Gardner. the troubles OF the fleet have been
due to the stupid Indifference and gross in
competency OF Democratic administration.
Despite the partisan issue incidentally in
volved. it will cheer their hearts TO learn
from the man who knows more about the
situation than any one else that the fleet is
better balanced and doing better shooting
than ever before in its hist Dry
There defects. Admiral Fletcher SAYS
both in organization and equipment, and the
lack OF adequate personnel is felt seriously
but some OF these defects have been remedicd
since the repor, was rendered last June and
yet others are in process of correction We
need bigger navy and a better navy. but
the American people will welcome the in
formation that the vessels now in commits
SIGN are capable of doing their work in the
world, and ready to do It. should the dreadful
need arise.
Major-GeneraI Wood who testified before
the House Committee Military Affairs
about the time Admiral Fletcher's report was
being delivered TO the Senate. takes what
many will regard as an extreme view Of our
military unpreparedness and openness to at
tack. He started on, by placing the United
States Navy fourth among the navies OF The
world. following those OF Great Britain. Ger
many and Japan. Clearly III the mind OF
General Wood. The opposition our navy would
he able to make 10 the attack of one OF the
powers named would not he much more than
disa greeable incident
Our coast. he said is vulnerable almost
anywhere, despite the millions that have been
spent and the millions that II is proposed To
spend Secretary Of War Garrison's army
bin he regarded as ''hopelessly inadequate"
About the only solution Of the problem he
could see was universal and compulsory mill
tary service--and if all of his premises be
accepted, his conclusions may be accepted as
logically sound. The trouble is that his
premises are not accepted.
" will be a long. long time in the future
we venture To predict, before this country in
tme OF peace, commits itself to CONSUMPTION.
certainly, this surrender of the principles on
Whlch TN" United States was established will
no, De MADE save III the face OF some great
national peril. III Great Britain in it's pres
ent situation. could not put on the way to
adoption measure of partial conservation
without the most positive undertaking il
should not become permanent. it is as GER
tain as anything human can be that the sort
oi conscription General Wood advocates Inns
no chance whatever on this side Of the sea-
duel with germs Weapons with con
tchllous physicians az seconds, is one of the
events talked of in Chicago. II is the out
CROWN ot an ethical riot--as to whether a
window should he left ajar. partially swung
or smashed in order to keep the microbe
hors de combat, II they must have excite
meht III The Metropolis OF Wind, and want a
genuine artlcle. why cant they wait until the
gathering OF the plum hunters elephant
mounted, and the remnants that will lead In
the Moose as the sacriicial beast?