Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-03
THE last Congress and the pres,
L. errt national legislative BODY
I cave Sbee. fortunate : - TIE
= csz.....e.-. % tie Senate .......,..-


ray committees Both Senator's
George c.a==os...a... a..s James w,
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oIt elc:.: :.1s tie --ooa o. tie Ac-..y 81
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E.ra. .-ssy. ..or 9-...I 10 ZIG peooA, O..
.e..ts.y S,o..oy. bYr e.ca SO ca-e.1..y
apo..ed a.E.se.s TO tie great problems
OF military policy at first hand. Each
has had opportunity more perhaps
than any other men In the country to
see the dangers OF an inert military
policy, and these two men will be well
supported by the members Of the sub
committee which Is TO hear the
strongest men of the nation on the
subject % military policy. tbs VIII
BE 20 easy task: co. x IS = sew sub
5ecr a.. S::.s ooC-t:.-y. VS.. ..sve.' Las
@SooteS : Stable ::.--.ta-y @-1o..oy-
$50 coe5 I've -.estel Tie U..rec
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ci~ttS-..c:. 49, 80 1eo5.e Ge...:.1 .t..e.....
f'- lta,. - - s.-ll.iN. C 49,
t-sas ..s.e.-.--; 70 It's sweet sL..a a.
@ ;..c l11le;" w...e Lie wor.d was
oa...-. s.dtoos =, ports 1:es ia s
"a August. ~. s..I.Sc 40 &..c.ss.1
- 500 A-..S SS-Oc S.~SES l-.-Ob~-. LAG
Nit.ld. ..s.. .Si.i~.faa w.. .,Is...,
.HaaJ 20 'fisht. r TAO iten r tn
var since the previous Aps..s ana Il
Was tdeE REGARDED al Europe as nea:-
~ negligible. That was the result of
the American policy OF ''unprepared-
ness"
The policy since the armfstice has
been one of reduction of expense; and
while the method may not y!.o,e IT, .s.
one OF economy. 1t Is doubtless, neces-
sary. Now on:ress liz makinS :. :
vey and Will have the best military.
talent that It can And and, II rs to be
hoped, some civilians of business ca
pacity to consider a policy.
There Is no reason whatever appa-,
rent. why the United States should
maintain great standing Army; but
the fact sticks out at every point that
The nation should be able quickly to
convert Its Lscn-power into military
power in an emergency. For this OBJ
oect there Is no known substitute for
some form Of universal military ,f.ain-
Ing for both men and officers. This
form OF military preparation has the
great advantage over any other sys-
TEN thus far advanced that it may be
made highly beneficial to the men,
who are so trained.
Recent unfortunate. occurrences In the
National Capital and others in Texas,
ana Hinois indicate the necessity for
the maintenance by each state, of state
troops; and while the National Guard
system Of forty-eights little armies Is
pasicaiiy wrong from a. military stand.
point as line Of national defense, 1t is
necessity. Since II must be maintain
ed, II ought as, a federal matter to be
put on a sound basis with enlisted men
trained In camps or in this war and the
cmcers educated in officers. training
camps or IN the school Of the great war
Sut aItnoqgh, the Army may make,
every possible arrangement for the
training and development of its person.
nei. commissioned and non-commissior,-
en-, 1t cannot succeed without co-opera :,
con with and from the manufacturing
and producing interests of the COUNTRY
II will be borne In mind that the Tinted
States after eighteen months of war
was unable to produce q cannon. -excert
few from the Navy. and a small mum.
Der Of light field guns. to take part In
way, but before that time France and
England had opened neg. tiatiors through
the Vatican to secure terms of peace
and In that time we were trying to
AXE ready. -
So q reasonable policy must look. to
some degree Of preparedness, and that
rkes time and study and enthusiasm.
The passage by the House Of the
bill comforting upon William S. Ben
I. son the rank
William $. Benson Of admiral
Gets Admiral Rank. states s. re- oa N.va
brings feeling Of satisfaction to- all
who know. the tall fair faced man
who for. four years has borne the
load of operating sthe Navy. Upon
him was the, responsibility for the
REORGANIZATION of the Navy. on the
basis OF stan direction and control;
and he has made good. The Navy,
like the Army. in fact II not in name.
had no stan until 1915. Then Con-
gress passed n law creating the
office of chief of Operations, who
should be charged with the prepara-
ton Of plans for the use Of the
neet IN war and with maintaining
the fleets in condition.
The Secretary of the Navy, with
that rare Insight of his In. the selec-
ton of men. jumped past all the adj
mirals of the Navy and picked one OF
his senior captains. William 8. Benz
son. for. the new position. The many
difficulties. that were to be- expected
in the way lof smoothly operating
shis object, the object of which was
to unite. and co-ordfnate the opera
ton of the several bureaus Of the
Nay DepaItment as swsii az the op:|
themselves out through the loyal sup
port he won from bureau chiefs and
neet commanders. including that
wonderful Ave. Earle, Taylor, Pal
mer., Griffln and Braisted.
Fleet operations have not been
, spectacular. but they have been eff
Gent Ohcers and men were found
and trained, to man the many Destroy
ers and cruisers thai were added to
the Navy. - ~, - = 3
way on this side of the Atlantic
When the armistfce was signed and
the Germans underff its terms surrep-
dered their charts of. the mines
planted by them of the eastern
coast the officers found that they had
with the exception of one, small
group. when II was found.that the
: shipping board could not raise crews
for the Army transports the Navy
: made the crews in. It's training sta
tons and manned and operated. on
Z the seas the transports which bore
the American forces to France. The
Navy provided the conveying de-
stroyers for nearly one-half of the,
transports. and. with the Army, took
across more than two million men
and their supplies: In this operation
naval vessels were lost, naval on
GERS and men were lost, but the Navy
did not lose one soldier -
Presumably the Navy made some
mistakes. but they were 50 trivial
that the great naval machine which
Admiral Benson was directing went
on It's way seFenely. accomplishing
it's end without friction, fuss or fall
use. 80: - - 4
. Admiral Bensen's life has been in
the Navy. It was a disappointment
: to him when the sailors age, of re-