The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1916-03-30
Washington Letter
lFrom our Regular Correspondentl

From our Regular Correspondent
FAKE PREPAREDNESS: 1T Uncle
Sam is going TO buy two COW ponies tc
add to his military establishment tht
American people want to know it, and
they do not want to be told that he is
adding a fine team Of Percherons,
weighing upwards Of 1900 pounds
apiece. Especially, do they want to
be certain that he is not paying Per
cheron prices for the cow-ponies. And
yet, the Hay military bill provides for
adding the two ponies, calling them
Percherons and pretty nearly Tor pay
ing the price Of Percherons. In other
words, the American voters may be d.
vided on the advisaoility and extent oi
further preparedness, but they don't
want TO be film hammed." This state
ment was made 10 your correspondent
by a member ol the Military Commit
tee regarding the Hay bill, which the
House will probably pass this week, a
measure which no other than the new
Secretary OF War, Mr.. Baker, has shown
up to be fake measure" shrewdly
designed to hide the radical difference
between President Wilson and his par
ly and to decrieve the public.
HAY VS.. BAKER: Chairman Hay
opens his report on his Military bill
with the statement that ii will make
Immediately available l,324,790
men," Secretary Baker, writing to a
member Of Congress, SAYS that, calcu
lating as Mr. Hav calculates, there are
now available 1,284,790 men, so that,
In other words, the only immediate
effect Of the passage Of the House Ar
my bill would be the increase Of the
regular army By 10000 men, and even
that increase, being added in four
annual increments, wonld require
about four years time 10 be recruited
and a still longer time TO become ei,
iective." Secretary Baker then goes
on to show how ridiculous is the meth
cd of figuring employed by Chairman
Hay. Mr.. Hay says the army reserve
will be 10000 men. Mr.. Baker
proves that it will not equal more than
10000 men and that even this in
crease will not begin until three years
after the passage OF the bill. Mr.. Hay
includes in his figures "270,200 form
er regulars" Mr.. Baker shows that
not more than 82,796 such former
regulars would be available and that
even they would require three montl s
intensive training. Mr.. Hay includes
395,59 men who in ten years have
passed through" the militia. Mr.
Baker points out that Mr.. Hay makes
no deductions I r deaths and disabili.
ties and includes in The fig re all who
have bee ll.@.o, wen though they
never served bat dav or a feg days
with the militia, Mr.. Hav includes
$4,000 young men who have passed
trough the military schools Mr..
Baker shows that this includes all who
were even enrolled, makes no allow
ance Tor deaths and disabilities, and
that oply $4,000 Of that enrolment
ever graduated. Secretary Baker sums
up the men actually trained for military
service as follows: regular army, includ-
ing PHILIPPINE Scouts. 100, 900; regular
army reserve, 1900; partially trained
in the militia, 1000; others who
have had some training, 241,000;
making total Of trained and partially
traied oi 473, ZOO men, as against Mr..
Hays l,324,790.
PRESIDENTS BILL:-When Secre.
Bakers exposure Of Chairman Hays
Misrepresentation were made in the
House it proved a bombshell in the
Democratic camp. Many Republicans
are opposed to any extravagant in
crease Of the army, but none Of them
want to be misled or 10 mislead the
the voters. II bill is 10 be passed
which will ad 10000 men a year fol
four years to the army; they want the
fact stated. Aud they d. object tc
such a bill being passed with the state
men, that it will Increase the available
trained force 10 upwards OF 1900, 900
Then Mr.. Hsv informed the House