Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-06
All-Day Debate

Debate on the volunteer provision
lasted all day, champions of the Ma
tional Guard supporting the amend
ment occupying most of the time. IN
the closing hour, however. Senator
Chamberlain vigorously defended the
provision as vital to any military plan
and denounced atten2pt of National
Guard organizations to interfere with
legislation. He was joined by Senators
O'Gorman and Williams, warning the
Senate that at the close of the Euro
pean war the United States would
need great navy and an adequate
army to back her demands upon the
helligerent powers for naturalization
Cor the losses sustained through viola
ton of her rights as a neutral.
LAS surely as the sun rises tomor-
row morning" Senator Williams said.
unless this country puts itself into a
condition where it caa resist and with
stand bullying, we are going to be In
trouble with the victor in this war I'M
less we surrender the positions We
have automatically taken and timidly
submit to the rule which the victor
may lay down for immunity or dis
claimer"
For Self. Preservation
Self preservation is the interna-
tional code of the belligerents." said
Senator O'Gorman. who contended that
rights of neutrals had been invaded by
all of the warning European powers.
"And protests Of neutrals will only be
regarded" he added "if backed by
sufficient power to enforce their de-
mands.''
when this war is over" said Sena-
tor Chamberlain, "if we intend to de-
mand recompense for American lives
and property destroyed. if we are go
ing to demand satisfaction then we
ought to be prepared to back all our
demands by force Of arms if necessary
and in what condition are we? We have
not the power to enforce single de-
mand we have made"
Enlarge Navy First
Senator Williams declared that while
larging the navy was of first import
ance. The senator said he would vote
to increase and better program that
might be framed, and favored such a
navy by 1918 that it could meet and
defeat any force that might be started
against it,
This war cannot last more than one
or two years." he said. IF it lasts
longer than that, it will produce uni
versal bankruptcy
Senator Chamberlains arraignment
of the national guards activities was
supported by Senator McCumber and
Nelson. who called attention to tele-
grams from national guard officials sent
to senators urging them to vote against
the federal volunteer provision.
Favors Elimination
IF the national guard intends to
come here politically and undertakes
to control legislation. calculated to pro-
tect America against the world" said
the Oregon senator, II for one from
now on shall favor the elimination Of
the national guard as a military factor
in this country
Senator Nelson declared that he new
err before had seen such lobbying as
these outside influences have brought to
bear to defeat certain sections Of this
bill"
Senator Sherman sought to introduce a
resolution to investigate charges of lob
bying. Senator Chamberlain said he
would favor it when brought up in the
regular way; but would not permit it to
delay consideration of the army bill.
Senator O'Gorman and Senator Cham
berlain both predicted that in the end
the country must come to universal mill
itary training to solve it's army problem.
Both the liberalization of the militia and
the volunteer scheme were experiments,
Senator O'Gorman said, and should be
tried as such.
Senators Cummins called attention to
kilograms from the military training
camps association, introduced by Senator
Chamberlain today, urging that the vol
unteer provision be retained. He asked
If these were not on a similar plane
with the messages from national guard
officers to various senators.
Senator Chamberlain disagreed. While
he felt that every citizen had the right
to appeal to Congress, he said, the ma
tional guard movement had assumed the
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