The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-19
TAFT | REVIEWS | !.
I. HIS PLEA FUR
BIGGER ARMY
Declares We Must Raise Five
= Million Men to Lick the
Hun Properly
THE WAR COMES FIRST
Winning Great Struggle Must
Take Precedence Over All
Other Ideas

William Howard Taft to the country
to elect This fall republican con
gress, which he declared would slim
ulate the democratic president by OF
fering constructive criticism OF the
administration action and inaction
and, by legislation, enlarge the ma
tons military preparations, was is
sued by the former president, address
ing the unofficial republican state
convention here today.
81 Again Advocates Big Army.
Reiterating his advocacy OF an
army of 100000 men, Mr.. Taft told
the delegates that now Is the time to
raise the great forces needed to win
the war. With democratic congress-
waiting the presidents lead rather
than co-ordinating with the executive,
he said, this will not be accomplished
iwt hthe promptness which is impera'
tive.
While conceding the masterful abb
ity of the president in stating the
country's needs in the war, Mr.. Taft
asserted that the administration has
not had the same success in forming
practical war policies. He criticised
also the tendency Of the auninistra-
ito allow party considerations too
much. sway in its appointments to
important tasks and declared that
politics has not been adjourned" as
indicated by what he termed prasi>
Dental interference in the party at
fairs of Wisconsin and Michigan.
We Must Place War First.
The former president said, in part:
Every thing we do not and every
thing we say must help win the war.
The president has said politics is ad-
journed.' He is certainly right, in so
far as politics is to be used for per-
shOnal ends or party triumph. But
popular government even in war, must
be carried on by parties. Party splr-
it must of course be suppressed where
it hampers or embarrasses. On the
other hand, party organization Of pub
lie opinion may be the best way to se>
cure needed government action. That
is the present case. The nation needs
the republican party to give popular
expression to an affirmative agrees
sive war policy. rs success at the
polls in November will spur the adj
ministration to adopt one. A repub-
lican congress will enact legislation
to initiate and carry it on.
The present administration Is to
remain in power two years and half.
BY that time,, even though the war
continues, our then military strength
must leave no doubt of the result We
are now not concerned with the ma
tional election Of 1920. That may take
care of itself. Its outcome will de-
pend upon circumstances which one
can not, now foresee. Our present
taskk, as patriots and Republicans, -
to help the present administration or
ganize the potential force 4 this ccun-
try into a knockout blow to William
Of Hohenzollern and his complain.
German people.
The Administration. "a, f.
What can we fairly say of the pre-
parations for the war; by the admins
tration! We must admit that to
change a peace-loving democracy like
ours into a nation which shall make
an effective modern war on huge
scale is no easy task. There must be
waste Of money, effort and time in
such a transition. Much has been
done by the admins ration and we'll
done. We should not\minimize in any
degree the credit due to it for our
conscription law. 1t was. indispens-
able to carrying on this war. 1t was
democratic in its principle and effec'
tive in its operation. It could not have
passed but for the efforts of the pres
ident and the republican minority. Its
execution, under the able, directing
hand of the Judge advocate and pro-
vost MARSHAL general, has been admir-
able. U.s..
"Other achievements in war prepar-
alton may properly be claimed for the
credit of the Administration, whose,
patriotism and earnest devotion to its
great moral war aims no one can ques-
ton. We need not dwell upon the un-
fortunate delays. ..t't. ~
The Secretary Of War. ~
THE army appropriation bill Of las,
winter was held up for more than two
months in order that the secretary OF
war might visit the war fronts and
gain a clearer idea of the situation
there and bring back definite pol
icy. When he returned, he appeared
before the committee, of the house and
senate and gave an account Of his
Tn n1,<o~k - An Mn-o~ .-.