Middletown transcript., 1916-01-29
START CAMPAIGN
FOR BETTER ARMY
Security League for Universal
Military Service.
GARRISON PLAN FIRST STEP
Resolutions Urge Universal Service,
Increase In Army and Navy
and Mobilization Of
Industries.

| VI Tue National security congress, IN
most representative gathering of pre-
paredness advocates which has yet as
sembled in this country, was conclud
ed with a dinner here, which was ad
dressed by Senator Lodge, of Massa
chusetts; former Attorney Genera
Wickersham and former Assistant At
torney-General Beck.
Two important sessions of the con
gress were held Saturday. Judge
Henry Stockbridge, of Maryland, pre-
sided at the morning session ant
Franklin @. Brown, of New York, pre-
sided in the afternoon. Judge Stock
bridge delivered no address to the con
gress, but presented his views in a
I general way in introducing the
speakers.
1t was found necessary to further
enlighten the people upon the question
Of preparedness and to then rely upon
the pressure of public opinion to secure
action by the House and Senate.
Otherwise, it is feared, even the Ad-
ministration's plans will be, to large
degree, defeated These plans do not
proceed as far as the security con-
gress would like, but they are regarded
as being far better than anything the
national legislators now promise
An Endorsement of Secretary Garri-
sons efforts toward enlargement of
the nations military forces was voted
by the National Security League, with
the reservations that the regular
mobile army should be even greater
than that contemplated in the War De-
partment plan, and that adequate ma
tional defense would depend ultimate
ly upon universal obligatory military
training and service"
A set of resolutions, drafted by
committee of which Luke E. Wright,
former Secretary of War, was chair
man, were adopted almost unanimous
ly. In part they follow:
BE it resolved, That the defense of
the United States depends upon an
adequate navy and a national army
founded upon system of universal
obligatory military training and serv-
ice. This system must be wholly
under the discipline and control of the
national authorities. We depreciate
all steps which tend to obstruct or
postpone the adoption of such a uni
versal system.
Goes Further Than War Office.
THAT the National Security League
indorses the efforts of Secretary Gar
rison to obtain an increase in the regu-
lar army, the correction of our faulty
enlistment law, the establishment of
an adequate regular army reserve and
the accumulation of an adequate sup
ply of ammunition, artillery and ma
terial, but We believe that in addition
to the proposed quota of coast artil-
lery and auxiliary troops the mobile
regular army within the United States
should comprise at least four complete
infantry divisions as recommended by
the War College report of 1915.
THAT the National Security League
recommends the authorization by Con-
gress of council of national defense
for the purpose of securing more har-
cooperation between the exec
utive and legislative branches of the |
Government with respect to the ma
tional defenses.
THAT the National Security League |
the establishment of a |
navy adequate to conserve the nation
al interests in conformity with the fol- |
owing recommendations
THAT the personnel of the navy be |
increased in conformity with the re-
ftiiiifeFf9eHts of the fleet as internreted |
n the General Board of the Navy; that
here shall be established for the navy
general staff, similar to the general
taft of the army, as is customary in
Ill other navies of the world, and that
he National Security League indorses
he program of July 30, 1915, of the
ieneral Board of the Navy, and urges
is immediate adoption by Congress.
THAT a fundamental factor in the
of preparedness should be
uch intensive mobilization of the pro-
uctive, industrial and commercial
orces of the United States as would
insure in time of war the contribution
f their fullest resources at a restrict
d profit, to be regulated by the Gov