The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-18
AVIS, PROGRESSIVE LEADER,
 BARES FALLACY OF G. Q. P. ISSUE ON PREPAREDNESS"

lures made under his administration. As if it is possible to build navies and strengthen armies without spending moneyi If greater political hypocracy than this was ever demonstrated be- fore in our nations history then the writer has failed to find 1t.
 In order to save money for the na- ton by breaking up the armor plate ring, the Tilman armor plate bill, ap- propriating s11 ,O0O,o for the purpose of the purchase by the government of a factory in which to manufacture its own armer plate for warships passcd the senate on March 21. 1916. but not before such Republicans as Gallinger. Curtis. DuPont, Lippitt. Lodge, Penrose, Shoot and Weeks had voted against the measure.
 Which is another proof of the insin- cerity of the hungry Republican of flee seekers who are engaged in the anything to beat Wilson, propaRan- da. These very men to-day are call ing tlse attention of voters to our un- prepared condition. but they fail to inform these same voters that 1t was under the Taft regime that our navy gradually began to drop back from second place in the worlds navies un- til to-day it stands no better than fourth or fifth on the list. But, thanks to the Wilson administration. with the great activity which is now taking place in our navy yards. 1t Is speed ing along once more toward the pedestal from which 1t has fallen back. i
 kIn regard to total orders for re- serve munitions. such as projectiles, mines, torpedoes and smokeless powder, the following figures tell their own story: The percentage of pro- jectile orders placed under the Mo- Kinley and Roosevelt administration was 5.1 per cent; under Roosevelt, S.6 pr cent: under Taft, 22.4 per cent; under Wilson, 63.9 per cent, or nearly double the percentage under three Republican administrations combined. Torpedoes: Under Mo Kinley and Roosevelt, g per cent; under Roosevelt, 9.4 per cent; under Taft, 18.2 per cent; under Wilson, 71.5 per cent, which also nearly doubles the percentage under 12 years of Republican rule. Mines, under Mckinley, Roosevelt and Taft, ST per cent; under Wilson, 90.s per cent. which means that under MT. Wilson's administration nearly ten times as many mines have been provided as were provided under 12 years of Re- publican preparedness CD which fail ed to prepare for anything outside of the Wall Street plunderbund., Now comes smokeless powder: Mckinley and Roosevelt, I'll per cent; Roose-
 
 cent These figures mutely tell their own story, and they leave TO need for further argument
 { Not only this, in regardI tp the navy, but the regular army of the United States has been increased under the Wilson administration from "a paper strength of 1000 men" to a peace strength of 216,Oo0. In war times this strength of the regulars would be ex- banded to 25S,000. Besides this, the national guard has been raised to a peace strength of 567,000. Various reserve corps have also been pro- vided for, such as regular army re- serve, national guard reserve, officers corps and an enlisted reserve corps. Training camps have also been estab- lished in various sections of the coun- try, where civilians can receive military training at very low cost to themselves. And these camps, it is needless to say, are an excellent in- novation in our national life, inas- much as they offer fine, inducements for the building up of the physical stamana of rundown business and professional men, as we'll as provide a most valuable and efficient arm of the national defense. N3~
 The total appropriations passed for preparedness by the Wilson adminis- tration were as follows:, For the army. 7.000,o00; for the navy, $313,- 300,0S5. Fortifications, S25,74S,000; Military academy, $2,23S,O00; army and navy deficiency, $27,558,0 ,0OO; to- tai. $635, 844.095. And yet we hear the howl going up throughout the land, tby the Presidents enemies, that the Wilson administration has done nothing for the national defense.
 While the Republicans areSe. con stantly condemning the administra- tion for its "extravagance," and at the same time Aowling for prepared ness which Republican administra- tions Tailed to give during the past ha1f-century, yet they fail to tell how many Republican members of both houses have fallen in line and sup ported with their votes the adminds- tration defense program. Which proves again that the Republican scheme is simply one of office seek ing rather than a scheme for the national good.
 Not only has the present admins tration taken the longest strides in the history of our country toward the carrying out of a preparedness pro- gram. not for war but for peace, but