Bisbee daily review., 1916-01-21
Friday Morning, January 21, 1916.
CONGRESS AND ARMAMENT.

newspaper man who went to Washington recent and talked at length senator's representatives cal inet members and the president announced on his r' turn home:
 The administration preparedness plans won't thrr No midde-oftheroad plan will win Congress will eithe grant about everything the jingoyes want, it will d nothing at all. At present, it looks like nothing.
 If that is an accurate szeup, it shows bad situation There isn't much choice between these extremes. Rusl ing into militarism and sitting tight eyes shu equally bad for the present and future welfar of the United States
 The apathy of the majority of Americans the sub jec of national defense is unmistakabe Congress mere y reflects it. The hysterical clamoring for arma regardless expense and traditions and nterna tonal results from a small but noisy minority Against this group may be set opposite minority pacifsts who just irrational the jingoes ant perhaps do just much harm in preventing ac ton Each group represents extreme to which th' of public sentiment may swing under the stress any sudden crisis in our international affairs.
 Between lies the of public opinion which the whole is different In the East to be the public ap pears to favor stronger defensive Like wise the Pacific Coast But the West and Middle wes
 
 tile to increase of armament
 Public indifference and hostility lead to resu-in action, such as seems indicated in congress.
 may be agreed that there is immediate fol alarm. Nevertheless it will be grave misfortune ii congress fails adopt policy moderately strengthening fighting equipment.
 The chief immediate consideration is the effect present controversies with foreign nations Germany Austria have yielded much in is likely that chief concessions was suddenly begun talk If adopt plans fol making our land and forces effective, sha find all foreign controversies susceptible of easier and more satisfactory settlement
 As for the future peril we may assume that Euro will be strong enough to bother for sev eral years after the There remains Japan-bu she is easier problem than Germany For protection in the Atlantic which is the nations chief thought may safely assume five years grace.
 It is some such moderate view this that the admin istration have had in framing army and navy plans need hardly be urged, by the way that consideration of those plans should nonpartisan Congress seems disposed to treat them
 Secretary Garrisons plan would add only about 9OOOC the regular army recognizing it so as to give moDne force of 4S,OOO. To this would be added some 100000 in continental army" of volunteers The cost of the army would be raised about sSOOOOOOO year The army board 5OO,OOO regulars and mo bile army of regular sand reserves of OOO costing S25O0O000O year more than present army.
 Secretary Daniels proposes spending $500 100000 iI building warshps in the years increas ing the number of officers and sailors correspondngly
 There's nothing sacred about these plans Even if they are adopted they will be considerably modified The "con tinental army plan will probably fail approval tha matters ittle if the National be made to servo the purpose few sailors soldiers or ships more ol less will make little difference. The essential thing is to adopt moderate pan and do it immediately, ant then settle down other important national business
 A middleoftheroad policy be adopted withou breaking with the past The step need be irretrev able the plan infexble If the war ends this yea or next very well We shall then better wha the future holds, and what dangers are If the ou is disarmament shall not have gone so far tha we disarm without much loss If there is seriou peril we shall be in the process of getting ready
 The United States has prohting by the war sur enough but it can't hold a candle to Holland I'll oanny Dutch have been making such a good thing out