The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-02-10
Washington Whisperings.

\ ARLINGTON, Feb. Z, 1916. The ultl-
mate purpose which President Wilson ex-
pects-or at any rate, hopes-to achieve
by his speech making tours is his own re-
election. He realizes that when he is once
renominated the proprieties of the Presi-
dency will not permit him to go out on
the stump as a candidate for office. But
now, months before the national conven-
ton meets, he is bound by no such res
friction; and he is thought here to have
been very glad to make use of the op-
portunity to do little campaigning under
the guise of presenting his newfound
policy of national defence to the people.
The value of his efforts to this end can
not be estimated just now-but the fact
that he has awakened little that can be
called enthusiasm is regarded as signifi-
cant.
The immediate purpose which the
President had in mind before starting out
with his little bag of speeches was to
procure a reaction of pressure upon the
Democrats in Congress who are opposing
his programme of preparedness. The
Presidents prestige is at stake in this
matter. He has executed E. sudden flop,
as Congressman Moore calls it; on this
question; but his party associates in the
House are not as nimble as he is, and
they are still standing where the Presi-
dent babe them stand in his message of
year ago. In this they are actuated by
two beliefs. They think that the Wilson
of year ago is the real Wilson and that
they are doing him real favor in saving
him from what they think is a misguided
political Vancouver. In addition they
think that they are representing the
sentiments of their constituents in OPP
posing policy which they describe in
rather loose terms as "militarism.
The Presidents idea is that if he can
stir up the folks "back home,' they will
communicate their feelings to their rep
resentatives and produce shift of posi-
ton on the part of the recalcitrant Dem
ocrats who are now imperilling the Presl-
dents program from party point of
view No change of opinion of this sort
has yet manifested itself among the re-
bellious Democrats. Perhaps it is
little early to look for it--but the fact
remains that the only activity thus far
displayed has been among Democratic
pacifsts, who have been busy every
minute perfecting their organization and
preparing to go to the mat with the
President in a strangle hold for SUI
premacy. The same night that
Mr.. Wilson opened his speaking cam
paign in New York, Mr.. Bailey of
PENNSYLVANIA announced that more than
twenty Democratic Congressman had
signed a formal compact to stand togeth
er in opposition to the Presidents mill
tary bills and that recruits were coming
in almost every hour.
This does not mean that there will be
no legislation for defence at this session.
On the contrary such legislation is as
sured-by Republican vo.~s. The speech
of Minority Leader Mann made that
clear
Mr. Wilson's speeches have contained
frequent references of scorn for those
who would make the question of national
defence partisan matter, yet his whole
intent in taking his trip has been to Sc
cure Democratic support for plan
which he, Democratic president, has
formulated and which he would like to
see adopted by Democratic votes alone.
1t is a common remark here that if the
President is sincerely DESTROYS of legis-
la ton for national defence, he will aban-
don efforts to compel Democratic support
for it and will begin to cooperate in good
faith with the Republicans who are will
ing and anxious to see the country put in
state of adequate preparedness.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Feb. 7, 1916. An
appalling oversight of the Democratic
administration in providing for national
defense has been laid bare.
Representative Patrick H. Kelley OF
Michigan, member OF the Naval Affairs
Committee, has disclosed to the House
that of the nine dreadnaughts, seventeen
destroyers, thirty-nine submarines and
two transport and supply ships authorized
by Congress, or under construction since
the Democrats have been in control of
the House, not one is completed.
More important still, no apparent eff
fort has been made by the President or
the Navy Department since the begin
ming of the war in Europe to hasten the
construction and completion OF these ad-
ditions to the Navy.
Why this neglect on the part of the
administration to carry out the mandate
of Congress to equip the navy for ade-
quate national defense at this time?
In resolution setting forth this condi-
ton Mr.. Kelley referred to thePresident' s
recent statement that the world is on fire
and we are daily treading amidst dangers
not of our own making and not under
our control; no man can tell what day
may bring FORTH
His resolution proposed that the Secre-