Evening star., 1922-04-16
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
8 9Ssss NY MAJ ARTHUR G. DUNCAN U. s. n.
i. ARTHUR G. DUNCAN, U. 5. n.

that, in passing to q state OF war,
there should be nothing to new model
tween that and the war organization
ought to be simply in the greater
multitude to the latter"
Economy Is certainly a very high
political virtue. Intimately connect ed
with the power and the public virtue
tions. which. under the best manage
ment, are 50 expensive. it is Of the
utmost Importance; but by no pro-
priety Of languages can that arrange
ment. be called economical which, In
order that our military establishment
in peace should be rather less expen.
sive, would. regardless of the pur-
poses for which 1t ought to be main. !.
tanned. render it unfit to meet the
dangers incident to state Of war"
Root Favors Constructive ProEram.
1t is significant that with the ex-
ception Of Senator Underwood, whose
sea forces. every American delegate
to the Washington arms conference
has openly expressed views liz favor
Of adequate national preparedness.
Recently Elihu Root, whose Judgment
and knowledge while Secretary of
War under the Roosevelt regime
proved most beneficial to the Army.
expressed his views of the national
defense before the Association Of the
Army Of the United States. in which
he is quoted as saying: 4
Discussion is what makes public
opinion In a democracy and public
opinion rules the world. There must be
public opinion regarding sane military
policy and that opinion you are engaged
In creating. You are working toward
the ends that Emory Upton looked for
ward to forty years ago and which
fN<yAv q. .nf1A re II -
about. Thirty years ago 1 knew Army
officers whose hearts were being eaten
out. SO to speak. because this far
sightedness was not appreciated; their
ideas carried no weight and there was
no way Of influencing public opinion.
speak and to sound the warning. You.
gentlemen, are avoiding this mistake
and you are considering the matters
that ought to be dealt with. You are
subordinating the minor to the major
problems. You are settling your differ
ences among yourselves. You are plan
ming a constructive program and getting
ready to accomplish things by being
able to go before the President, before
Congress, and before the country with
. united front"
Uree Close Of War Contracts.
Thus far some $4,000 war contracts
have been audited. with 10000 more
to be acted on. There is due the gov
ernment from war contracts approxi-
mately $46,000.000. and something like
S27.ooo.00o is in process of collection.
Gen. H. NJ. Lord. chief Of finance of
the Army. offered the proposal to the
subcommittee Of the Senate appro-
rrdatious committee of completing
this important task within five years.
instead Of permitting 1t to drag along
for fifteen years, which ID the eStf-
mate of the period required to do the
work under the prevailing rate of
appropriations allotted for this pur-
pose. It is estimated that tho cost
to audit has been SIS each. It was
stated that the lapse Of time makes
IL increasingly dificult to effect ad.
justments in Justice to the govern
ment and contractors. Members OF
the committee were inclined to regard
with approval Gen. Lords suggestion
that hearings be accorded to the At
torney General and the director OF
the budget in order to avoid unneces-
sary delay which makes II increas-
ingly dihcult to effect adjustments