Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-31
PRESIDENTS FOES WIN
INITIAL SKIRMISH ON
PREPAREDNESS PLAN
Padgett Bill to Double Naval
Academy Blocked - How
ever, Defense" Believed
Certain to Carry
BIG NAVY PRIME TASK

WASHINGTON. Jan. 31.-The anti.pre
naredness forces won first blood on the
iloor of the House this afternoon when
they prevented consideration Of the
PadEett bill increasing by one.half the
I number of cadets at the naval academy
The bill was reported at the request OF
the navy department on the ground that
the additional officers provided are urgent
" needed BY skillful maneuvering the
opponents of the bill side.trackcd il in
tavor of the Indian appropriation bill and
II cannot be reached again this week
However it appears certain that Presi.
dent Wilson will get his demanded naval
lhcreases-an increase in the field and
| coast artillery Of tho country-and the men
I VINO viii benefit most by this preparedness
( move will pay the bills That was tho
| opinion today not only of Administration
| leaders here but also of many political
| chiefs, who at heart are strongly opposed
to the presidential program of prepared.
ness.
The speeches being made by the Presi.
dent are already declared to be bearing
fruit. Middle Western and Southern Scna-
! tors and Congressman who have been
working under cover to sidetrack any
real Increase of the army and navy are
beginning ito hear from the corniiclds, "
| 1t was learned today.
Back home the people are becoming inn
pressed that there is an actual need for
at least big navy, according to several
of the chiefs of the secret opposition, and
today the Administration leaders were
claiming Il clear majority in both houses
for the naval program before the Presi-
dent gets back here Friday afternoon.
THE NAVY FIRST
The big suggestion that has provided a
| get together" plan for spending money
on the navy has been the statement that
way yet will be found to get around
the constitutional provision that hereto
fore has seemed to make munitions manu-
facturcrs exempt from an internal reve.
nue. tax. Some of the sharpest legal
minds in Congress are working on this
proposition and thy insist that when they
get through they will have a bill that
will make it possible to force munitions
manufacturers to pay most of the nations
bills and ut the same time exempt sup
plies purchased by the United States.
1t is realized that President Wilson will
ingly will support such a tax If it legally
can be imposed.
SO far. however, it seems likely that
only the naval p and part of the army
program, which provides for much need
cd field artillery and for the replacing OF
coast equipment with much higher
powered armament and mobile artillery
mounted on armored trains. will get con.
gressional approval.
ARMY PLANS SECONDARY.
The little army men are in the saddle
in the House and they are opposed to the
Administrations plan of a larger army.
They will likely consent to appropriations
that will bring the national guard up tc
date and that will create reserve store
of rifles But that is about as far as they
are likely to go under present conditions
The Presidents statement that the
navy is the first line of defense" will be
accepted as "A reason why all the cash
available at present should be expended
on bringing it up to date.