Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1917-03-10
Notable for Response to the De-
mand for Preparedness.
AUTHORIZED A GREAT NAVY
Provided Also for Increase and Reor-
eanization of Army-Some of the
Momentous Economic Statutes
That Were Passed.

lHe duHdlS OIL IHlngs InaI were, Will De
lsng remembered as the congress
which responded to the demand for
national preparedness While eco
nomic statutes of pith and moment
have been written into the law of the
land, preparedness measures, inspired
by the European war, out-top all other
legislation.
Although ample provision has been
made for Notifications, and authority
has been granted by congress to more
than double the standing army of the
country, the metamorphosis of the
United States from a commercial to
fighting nation has been wrought
by the naval increases authorized.
The congress now expired has au-
thorized naval ornaments destined to
make Uncle Sam eventually the peer
of any nation on earth in sea power,
excepting, perhaps, Great Britain.
In the two sessions comprising the
SfXty-fourth congress there have
been authorized and appropriated for
no less than 11S war craft. Nor is
this all. The first session adopted a
three-year-building program, the con-
struction of which should be under
taken prior to July 1, 1918. This pro-
gram included this allotment of fight
ing ships: Ten battleships. six battle
cruisers, ten scout cruisers, so torpedo
boat destroyers, nine fleet submarines,
81 coast submarines, one experimental
submarine (Neff system), three fuel
ships, one repair ship, one transport,
one hospital ship. two destroyer ten
ders, one fleet submarine tender, two
ammunition ships, two gunboats.
Naval Vessels Appropriated For.
BY the act which adopted this build
ing program congress appropria ted
for four battleships, four battle cruis-
ers. four scout cruisers, 20 destroyers,
30 submarines. and one each of these
craft: Experimental submarine, fuel
ship, hospital ship, ammunition ship
and gunboat During the second ses-
sion provision was made for three bat
tleships, one battle cruiser. three scout
cruisers, 10 deStroyers, one destroyer
tender, one submarine tender and Is
submarines.
If the Sixty-fifth congress adopts the
! three-year program the remainder of
the units for the reorganized battle
fleet will be appropriated for next
year. Staggering sums have been re-
quired to meet these demands. the ma
val appropriation for the second ses-
sion of the expired congress alone
amounting to almost a round half-bil-
| lion dollars.
So great have been these eXpendi-
lures that the ordinary sources of rev.
| enue are not sufficient and a special
| revenue measure had to be passed.
Representative Kitchin. majority lead
| er and chairman of the house ways
and means committee, a small-navy
man, in drafting the revenue measure
and pressing it to passage through the
house charged full responsibility for
| the measure to the advocates of pre-
| paredneSS.
Increase of the Army.
Increases of the regular army and its
reorganizations under the national de-
Tense act were less striking than the
naval increases. But the regular army
| was increased from an authorized
peace strength of 100000 TO an author
lied peace strength of 216,OOO, capable
of expansion in war time to 256.000
After prolonged agitation for prepared
ness both on land and sea, the consen
sus of the military experts was that the
United States with its enormous length
of coast line must rely on its fleet tC
defend its shores.
In the discussions that preparedness.
again and again demonstrated that the
temper of the American people is alb
solutely against a big standing army
Former Secretary Garrison formulated
| and laid before congress with Presi
dent Wilson'S approval a scheme for {
Continental army to be recruited ant
trained under the universal militar.
training principle. Representative Ha.
of Virginia, then chairman of the pow
erful house military committee, op
posed the Continental army idea ant
substituted for it in the national de
tense act. the liberalization of the Ma
tional Guard. Mr.. Hay won Presiden
Wilson over to his way of thinking-th
Federalized National Guard became tn
second line of the land defenses ant
Secretary Garrison resigned from tn
cabinet.
Other Notable Acts.
Although preparedness was the key
note of legislation, the SiXty-fourt
congress found time also to enact
ship purchase bill, the Adamson eight
hour railroad law, child labor law.
measure to forbid the immigration o
illiterate aliens, rural credits bill,
vocational educational bill and an &C
reorganizing the government of Port
Rico and extending citizenship to tn
Islanders