Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-03-08
Appropriations That Failed.
Appropriation measures that failed
included:


District of Columbia .............. 1906, 900
1ndlan ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 12000,0W
Diplomatic and consular ......... 100000
Urgent deHciencE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 5O0O,l
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
q 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
SiXty-fourth congress there have been
authorized and appropriated for nc
less than 118 war craft. Nor is this
all. The first session adopted three
year-building program, the construc.
ton Of which should be undertaken
prior to July /, 1918. This program
included this allotment Of fighting
ships: Ten battleships, six battle
dO-boat destrOyers, nine fleet subma-
rines, So coast submarines, one expe-
rimental submarine (Neff SYSTEM,
three fuel ships, one repair ship, one
transport one hospital ship, two de.
stroyer tenders, one fleet submarine
tender, two ammunition ships, two
gunbOatS.
Naval Vessels Appropriated For.
BY the act which adopted this build
ing program congress appropriated
for four battleships, four battle cruis-
ers, four scout cruisers, 20 destr0yers,
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 round half-biI
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.
Increases of the regular army and
its reorganization under the national
defense act were less striking than
the naval increases. But the regular
army was increased from an author
lied peace strength of 100000 to an
authorized peace strength of 216000.
capable of expansion in war time to
256O00. After prolonged agitation for
preparedness both on land and sea.
the consensus of the military experts
was that the United States with its
enormous length of coast line must
rely on its fleet to defend it's shores.
In the discussions that preparedness
agitation in congress provoked it was
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 a