The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-03-09
ITS FAME: RESTS
Oh; PREPAREDNESS
Congress That Has Just Passed
Responded to Demand for
Defense Acts.
INCREASED NAVY And ARMY
Vast Gums Appropriated for Fighting
VesScis-Ship Purchase, Child La
Dor, immigration and Other
important Laws Passed.

Dor, immigration and Other
important Laws Passed.
Washington, March 5.-On its re-
spolSe 70 the popular demand Tor ma
tlanal preparedness will rest the fame
OF the SiNty-fourth congress, which
has just expired. Though it also en-
acted some economic statutes Of great
moment, the preparedness measures
stand out above all other legislation.
Although ample provision has been
mace Tor 1o~rtitications, and authority
has been granted hy congress to more
than double the standing army of the
country, the metamorphosis OF the
lnltcd States from Il 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 aud appropriated for
no less than lis war craft. Nor is
his Ill. The first session adopted a
three-year-hnilding program, the on
struction of which should be under
taken prior to July /. 1913. This pro
gram included this allotment of fight
ing ships: Ten hattleShipS. six battle
cruisers, tea scout cruisers. 30 torpedo
boat d~cStroycrs. nine fleet submarines,
- coast submarines. Il experimental
submarine (Nelf system), three fuel
ships. II repair ship, N transport.
n hospita! ship, two destroyer ten
ders, one fleet submarine tender. two
ammunition ships. two gunhoats.
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 destroyers.
80 submarines, and one each of these
craft: Experimental submarine, fuel
ship. hospital ship, ammunition ship
and gunhoat. During the second SEES
sion provision was made for three bat
tleShips, one battle cruiser, three scout
cruisers. Il destroyers, n destroyer
tender, Il submarine tender and IS
submarines.
If the SiNty-tifth congress adopts the
thrce-ycar program the remainder of
The units for the reorganized battle
fleet will be appropriated for next
year. Staggering sim have been re-
CURED to meet these demands, the ma
val appropriation for the second SEES
sion Of tile expired congress alone
amounting 10 almost Il round half-bil-
lion dollars.
SO great have been these capendi-
lures that tie ordinary sources Of rev
elue are not sufficient and Il special
revenue measure LID to be passed.
Representative kitchin, majority lead
ef ana chairman Of the house ways
and means committee, a smail-navy
aaan. in drafting tie revenue measure
ind pressing it t. passage through the
house charged full responsibility for
the measure To the advocates of pre-
farednesS.
Increase Of I've Army.
Increases If the regular army and its
reorE"nizationS under the national de-
Tense act We're less striking than the
naval increases. But the regular army
was increased from an authorized
peace strength Of 100000 10 I'm author
lied peace strength Of a16.OO0. capable
Of expansion in war time to 2J6, 900.
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 to
! defend its shores.
In the discussions hat preparedness
agitation In congress provoked it was
again and again demonstrated that the
J temper Of the American people is alb
, s~olntcly against a biz standing army.
Former Secretary Garrison formulated
and laid before congress With Prpsi-
dent Wilson'S approval a scheme for il
Continental army to be recruited and
trained under the universal military
trimming principle. Representative Hay
Of Virginia. then chairman of the pow
erful house military committee, OPP
posed the Continental army idea and
substituted for it in the national de-
Tense act. the liberalization Of the Ma
tiOnal Guard. Mr.. Hay won President
Wilson over to his way Of t~hinking-the
Federalized National Guard became the
second line OF the land defenses and
Secretary Garrison resigned from the
cabiner.
Other Notable Acts.
Although preparedness WAS the key
note Of legislation. the SlNtA-fourth
INTERESTING INFORMATION