The Washington herald., 1916-04-05
BY Z. b. JOHNS.

With the apparent intention Of forcing
the administration to participate actively
In the fight over the militia provisions
of the army bill Senator W. r Borah
yesterday gave a letter in which he
quoted President Wilson as expressing
himself as not believing in the militia
as national reserves. Up to this time
the administration has been keeping in
the background and as far as is known
has not eXerted any pressure on either
side of the National Guard issue
The letter was written to Adiutant p.
H. Crow. of Idaho. The adiutant gen.
eral wired Senator Borah instructions TO
vote against the volunteer army provision
OF the Senate bill and for the militia
sections. The Senator in refusing to obey
the instTu, tiOns of the adjutant general
declared that a Napoleon could not make
an effective force out Of the National
Guard against a firat-Class power and
predicted that If the militia pay bill was
passed. the country would eventually
spend annually 100000, 900 upon the Ma
uonal Guard without securing any real
preparedness.
In concluding his letter Senator Borah
said:
L regret exceedingly to find myself in
disagreement with you. 1t is unpleasant
because l have no reason to doubt either
the sincerity or public spirit with which
you urge proposition. But it is a matter
about which l have very positive views.
1t is up to me to vote. l am not by any
means sure that If you were in my place,
and had studied the matter from a
wholly disinterested standpoint, not being
unconsCiOusy controlled by your relation
ship with the very splendid body of men,
and taking the whole matter into survey,
you would not vote precisely as l intend
to vote.
Let me in conclusion quote the
language of the President in his
speech at New York, January >. 1916:
You know, gentlemen, that under
the constitution of the United States
the National Guard is under the direC-
tion Of more than two score States;
that it is not permitted to the national
government directly to have A voice
in its development and organization;
and that only upon occasion of actual
invasion has tine President Of the Unit
ed States any right to ask these men
70 leave their respective States. I. for
my part am afraid, though some gem
tlemen differ with me. that there is
no way in which that force can be
made a direct resource as a national
reserve under national authority"
ct has been said in the House OF
Representatives. that in this respect
the President has changed his mind.
do not know that this is true, but l
am sure hn was right when he made
the above statement"
Secretary Of the Navv Daniels, in his
testimony before the House Committee
on Military Affairs. indicated that he has
changed his attitude on the increase in
the personnel of the navy since he wrote
his annual report. He made no effort
to conceal this fact, and raised his esti-
mate Of the additional men needed for
the navy 200.
This is to be done according to the sec
retary's suggestion by not including the
number Of enlisted mon OF the hospital
corps in the authorized strength OF the
navy. The secretary asked the COM
mittee to increase the strength Of the
hospital corps from l .6O0 to 200, and not
to Include the hospital corps men in the
total strength assigned to the navy. In
addition to this, the secretary asked for
an increase of 10000 in the number of
sailors and apprentices and 1900 more
marines.
For an immediate increase in the num-
hcr of engineer officers and aYiators the
secretary advocates that these two spe-
Cialties be opened to civilians. He thinks
that thirty vacancies 4 year should be
made IN the line for civilian engineers
and twenty-five for aviators until the
number CT engineers Ehohld reach 800 and
aviators 100 This will be made neces-
rary, In the opinion OF tho secretary, on
account, or the inr1cdiLtc demand for an
increase in the number of engineers and
sviators. 1t would be four years. the