Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-04
DEFENSE HINGES
ON PLAN TO GET
REVENUE FOR 1T
Wilson Emphasized Need of
Preparedness, but Money
Is Lacking
REAL PROBLEM TO COME

Bya STAR Correspondent
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 4--Presidcnt VIII
son returned from his first preparedness
tour today, satisfied that his speeches
had aroused the Middle West heretofore
Indifferent as to the Administrations mill
tary program, to the necessity of ade-
quate protection against an invasion.
| Those who accompanied the presidential
party as correspondents said the cause
| was presented forCibly and that the op-
position would gradually disappear to-
ward the chief proposition.
The real problem has not yet been set
tied. according to those who followed the
| President and attempted to carefully ana
! lyze the situation. The people are con
! vinced that this country should place it.
. self on an equality with the other mill
! tary Powers so far as a navy is con-
| Cerned. but are divided as to what extent
! the army should he increased and above
/ all are opposed to taxation for prepared
| ness which Will place a direct tax upon
! themselves The impression gained by
| those who went Into the states rated as
opposed to preparedness or Indifferent is
/ that the revenues must be raised In an
entirely different manner than has been
proposed by the Administration.
PLANS TO RAISE FUNDS
After all. the cruX of the situation in
/ the opinion of those faVorng prepared
! ness is that the people will not support
! taxation system that seems to fall
/ upon them directly. About the only plan
/ that can be devised to raise the revenues
| is to issue bonds and increase the rates
on the income taxes, or resort to in
creasing the tariff schedules.
| In the opinion of the best observers. the
/ Administration will have no trouble in
| passing the preparedness program as few
Republicans will oppose the measures.
| The opposition that is of moment is dt-
! reCted entirely against the proposed taxes
| for he program. President Wilson found
on his visit what has been apparent here
| all along and that is that the opposition
! is based on the taxes. That he Will set
! out to overcome this opposition by pro-
posing some new means of raising the
required revenues was suggested today
! by several of his advisers.
Congressman are beginning to hear
from the trip and the strong opposition
shows evidence OF disappearing except
from a few States of the South notably
North Carolina and Texas. II Is in the
South that the President must do his
work toward converting his own party
to his program.
KITCHIN STILL OPPOSES.
Representative Claude Kitchin, majority
leader. said:
81 cannot see that the President has
made any Impression on Congress by his
speeches through the West. He has not
been definite in his talks and has not con-
vinced the people opposed to preparedness
on account of the great tax burden that
will be necessary for his military pro-
gram that his taxation measures will not
fall heavily on the masses. ! believe that
there will be more than enough Repub-
licans to pass the preparedness program
in Congress. The trouble will come when
the revenue measures are reported. More
than thirty Democrats have written to me
that they will not support preparedness
unless a bill increasing the income taX
rate is added. At least twenty other Dem.
ocratiC Congressman have expressed sim.
liar views
BORAH ASSAILS SPEECHES,
Senator Borah, of Idaho:
''President Wilson's speeches lacked
anything concrete and | believe instead of
helping his program they worked against
IL. The people want TO know just what is
proposed and this the President failed to
do. He must win his own party over to
his program and chiefly to his taxation
system. The time passed when the Presi-
dent can say to Congress unless you grant
this repeal | will not know how to deal
with greater problems He has not
enough power to jam through legislation
unless backed by cold logic and facts"
OLIVER FOR DEFENSE.
Senator Oliver, Pennsylvania: The
country is waking up to the necessity Of
better preparedness and / believe the
speeches the President made greatly
stimulated the Indifferent people of the |
West. There is no doubt about the senti !
ment favoring preparedness on a large |
scale. The objection is leveled against |
the way the money for the program shall
be raised"
HARMON SUPPORTS PLAN.
Ohio, announced himself in favor of pre- |
paredness today in letter to Representa-
dive Allen. of Ohio, which was read today |
on the hoor of the House;
81 hope the opposition to preparedness
is subsding," the letter ran. THE more !
| think of IL the more indignant I he |
come that anybody with pretensions TO
the rank OF patriot should oppose the |
Presidents policies in this respect"
DOREAIUs WITH WILSON.
Representative F.. h. Doremus of Mich
igan, chairman Democratic National Con-
gressional Committee:
II think President Wilson has made a !
very profound impression everywhere he
has spoken for preparedness. His speeches
will do much toward crystallizing senti-
ment in favor of national defense. am
for material Increases
ALLEN BACKS PRESIDENT.
one OF the majority members Of the Ways
and Means Committee which will report
the bill TO raise the necessary revenue
for defense: MY city of Cincinnati is
known as over the Rhine, but nine out
Of every 10 men there were for prepared
ness even before the President started on
his trip. l have not had over 10 in two
months against preparedness
WHAT OTHERS SAY.
Representative Simon d. Fess, Of Ohio
"a prominent Judge Of my district has
written me. asking: Is there any way of
gaggins public officials so they cannot
expose our weaknesses to our enemies.
Recall the President and let Congress
consider our needs In executive session." "
Representative Patrick II. Kelly, OF
Michigan a Republican member Of the
House Naval Affairs COmmittee-'1 think
the Presidents trip will have a good ef-
feet. / am for increasing the navy as
much as Is necessary, according to eX-
pert naval officers, but 1 am not IN favor
of Increasing standing army materially.
Why build two 3-rail fences instead Of
one 6-ral91