New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-14
Senators BOrah and Stone
Advocate Fleet Capable
of Any Offensive.
MISSOURIAN ASSAlLS
BRITAIN AND GERMANY
Idahoan Attacks Any Politically
Controlled Volunteer Arm
of Service.

Washington. April 13.-Agitation Tor
a greater navy at the expense Of army
increases marked the last day of gen
oral debate in the Senate to-day on
the army reorganization bill. Senator
Stone. chairman OF the Foreign Rela-
tions Committee, made plea for a
navy big enough to fight extensively on
the high seas TO defend American
rights anywhere in the world. and
Senator Borah. on the Republican SIDE
urged that the Federal volunteer and
national guard provisions Of the
Chamberlain bill both be sacrificed 10
add TO the extension Of the country's
naval forces.
In the course Of his speech Senator
Stone criticised both Great Britain and
Germany. He declared they were
equally guilty Of ofenses against the
peace and wellbeing of mankind. the
former because Of its policy OF
"navalism" and the latter because OF
It's "militarism." While he deplored
any programme that could be con
strued as either navalism or militsr-
ism in the United States, the Missouri
Senator said he was for adequate De
fence and thought the navy was by FAR
more important than the army.
Has No Fears of Mexico.
When asked if he thought the
limited States had an adequate force
in case "unpleasantness' should fol-
low Developments IN Mexico. Senator
stone said he thought an adequate
force speedily could be procured Tor
an emergency. -.
Senator Borah was emphatic in his
championship of the navy, not only as
the first line of national defence. but
also as the last line of defence.
81 regret" said the Senator. that
the naval bill was not considered by
the Senate before we reached the army
bill. so that We might have
sancr. more wholesome view Of q pro
erammo Of defence than We have now.
We ought TO have begun with the first
line Of defence. The navy not only Is
our first line of defence. but in a
large measure it is the last line for
this country.
"If We would strengthen our navy
the American people would accept the
preparedness programme with more
confidence than they will large land
military programme.
eff | could have my way | would
strengthen 10 the utmost degree the
American navy strengthen u so that
there could be no reasonable doubt Of
/ its efficiency to defend the country
and | would supplement il with rea-
[ sonable standing army, such "a IS pro
posed in the pending bill. but from
/ this bill | would cut away all politics.
| The volunteer army and national
/ guard provisions of this measure make
/ it 90 per cent appropriations and .
per cent preparedness.
Favors Military Education.
~ would take out Of the bill the vol
unteer army and the na.loral guard
and put the millions TO Re expended
for those purposes into military cdu-
cation in the schools. colleges and uni
versties OF the country. or add il 20
the appropriations for extending TIE
navy, the first line of defence.
ain the time of real peril would
enforce compulsory service IN this
country. That IS the only kind OF ser
vice a democracy ought % have. A
democracy ought to he defended by
those who enjoy its political advantages
and protection Service should go hand
in hand with privileges. l. is idle 20
talk about defending democracy with
hired soldiers