Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-02-24

u a IL Y
EDITORIAL.
D / G E S T
Prepared Exelusivsly ter zhs Tribune.
TodaIs Subtect:

Prepared Exclusivsly Ter The Tribune
Todavs Subtect:
/ OUR sHRuNkEN ARMY.
Just how big an army the American
people want is hard to tell from tn,
editorial comment upon the passag.
over President Wilson's veto, of tn,
bill calling for a maximum Of 175,O0(
men under arms. Most writer's appar
emily accept the limit set BY congress.
as satisfactory but Of those who dis
cuss the method by which it became &
law, great number are apparently less
interested in the issue itself than ir
the fact that 80 few congressman were
found to support the president.
| An interesting viewpoint is taken by
the Des Moines Register (Ind. Rep.
which understands" the president 1
position but does not approve" Of it
! that if league of nations is not
formed to force world order America
is bound to stand isolated in world af-
fairs and needs the support of power
full army and navy" but "the trouble
with this position IL that nobody ever
takes it in good faith" and 1.-THE Presi-
dent, Secretary Baker and Secretary
Daniels would have done much better
to leave out discussion Of military
matters, support the League of Ma
Etions land let it go at that" A par
tial answer to this attitude comes from
the FL Pasb Times (Dem.) which is
on the other side of the debate. It
remarks ON the fact that Wilson, Baker
and Daniels have been criticised for
their assuming "the role Of militant
advocate of preparedness which it
does not find unnatural because Of their
former "pacifist leanings." But, the
Times concludes, Mr.. Wilson, Mr.. Dan
iels and Mr.. Baker simply have found
that they did not know what they were
talking about until they "had been
vouchsafed glimpse of the inside of
international affairs"
Indeed. the veto, in the opinion of
the st. Louis Post Dispatch (Ind.) is
only the indication of tendency away
from any "effort to curtail arma-
ments," a tendency supported BY the
raw facts" concerning world condi-
tons. 1T gives us taste" the Post
Dispatch concludes, Of what the re-
pudiation of the league at thepolls lis
to cost us in army and navy budgets"
and this foretaste is in no way quail
fled by the fact that the resolution
was passed over the veto.
Among those who definitely express
themselves as fayoring larger army,
regardless Of their attitude toward the
administration. is the Providence Jonr-
nal tInd.) which makes its plea partly
on the basis of the educational work
the new army is doing:
1T is not merely question of econ
omy. although preserving this educa-
tlonal feature is, in the long run, econ
omy. 1t is not simply a question of
national safety. although that too,
must be considered; but it is now es-
sentially the question Of violating the
pledged faith of the republic and that
cannot be permitted"
The Portland Oregonian lind. Rcp.)
admits that for once President Wilson
has shown sound judgment in vetoing
the bill for. though reduction in the
army to 175.O0O men. go. lis prompted
by economy" it shows that this desire
is degenerating into a craze" In
The contention Of the Presi- |
dent the Tacoma Ledger (Ind.) points
out that his arguments were based |
upon the calculations of the war de- |
partment general staff which body
most people will be inclined to con-
slider. better qualified to Judge than
members Of congress" It is mon
sense, the paper adds, to call this |
militarism for it is IAN issue Of ra-
tional safety and the outworn doctrines |
Of pac;fism are entitled to no cons:d- |
sration.' The Mobile Register De1n. |
believes that the action of congress will |
mean false economy" and will result |
n lessening greatly the army's eff |
,iency." 1t is proof positive to the
Chicago Tribune (Ind. Rep that
congress shows "as Grass an ignorance
# the bitter lessons of 1917 and 1918
Is its predecessors did of the sane
essons in 1861 and 1906" The In
Annapolis News (Ind.) likewise feels
hat the resolution makes the army
not only smaller but less efficient"
md the Manchester Union, lind. Rep)
expresses regret" that the "unfortun-
|te dispute" resulted as it did. for
President Wilson. from a military
Jew, was thoroughly sound in the
easons for his veto.
Admitting that criticism of the
ew bill as passed "is logical and
ound" and that Considerable adjust
nents will be necessary" the Topeka
'apital (Rep.) feels that congress has
voiced the sentiment Of the country"
rhen it gave "the plan for a big army
stunning blow" The country will
refer the present "mixup." the Capital
links, ito the large army that vas
The Dallas News lind
)em.) also believes that "the country
J not apt to be more responsive to
be presidents argument than was
ongress. Despite the needs" that
here may be elsewhere. the great /,
need" here and now. the News de-
lares, is ito avoid every dollar Of gov /
rnment expenditure for which there is /
OF an indisputable and Immediate re- /
uirement.' The Sioux City Journal i
Rep finds president Wilson's rea-
on's" for vetoing the resolution {
neither compelling nor convincing" t
nd the Wheeling Register (Deml
lille it declares that the conpressional
ction in this case as in others where
overrode the presidents veto. "pure- t
! political" still "candidly admits" i r
ees "little reason for larger army 9
From the standpoint of economy the b
Post (Ind.) points ont p
lat it is beyond the omn<ehension'; Y
I the representatives and senator's b
no are striving for "retrenchment n t
ublic expenditures why 'the govern n
ent payrolls should be loaded down p
18th thousands of soldiers in t;r,oc " y