Evening star., 1940-07-17

"A. +. Wlreph0tO.
and they were. made before he
retired from the presidency and
before Franklin D. Roosevelt as
sumed that Office on the 4th of
March, 1893.
Istead of reducing the equip
ment for the National Guard and
the Regular Army, which had been
brought about under Mr.. Hoover,
President Roosevelt recommended
and secured increased appropria-
tions not only to restore the de-
creases Mr.. Hoover had brought
about, but to increase these
branches Of the armed services
beyond the figures attained at any
time during the previous admin
istration.
Instead of having only 75,000, we
have 241,000 equipped soldiers in
the United States Army, and the
present Congress, on the recon-
mendation and under the leader
ship Of the President, has author
lied an increase to 375, 900 men
and will authorize further increases
as fully and as rapidly as may be
required.
Military Expenditures
OF Last Seven Years Cited.
In view of the abortive effort of
the Republican convention to fasten
on the New Deal the responsibility
for any lack of adequate prepared
ness that may now exist and to elude
any portion Of that responsibility, let
us make some comparisons.
During the seven years since 1888
our Government has expended ST.
300 200, 900 more on the Army than
was expended during the previous
seven years. K
In these same seven years, the
Z United States has expended 81, =
100000 more on the Navy than was
expended during the previous seven
years. - Isl M
These expenditures were recon-
mended and appropriated under
President Roosevelt and they were
made necessary largely because the
Republican administration had sore
ly neglected both arms of our ma
tional defense. - ..
During the last year of Wood
row Wilson's administration, when
Franklin D. Roosevelt was Assist
ant Secretary of the Navy, appro-
priations for the Navy amounted
to $500 100000. In the first year of
the Harding administration they
were reduced to s485 200. 900. Dur
ing the II years of Harding, Cool
ldge and Hoover they continued to
decline until the fiscal year Of
1884. when they reached the in
significant sum of 1866 ,0O0. 900,
which was the last naval appro-
priation enacted as Mr.. Hoover was
about to retire from office.
During these IL years not a single
.battleship was laid down for con-
struction and only 20 other types of
combat vessels, such as cruisers,
submarines and gunboats, were con-
Structed.
115 Combat Vessels
Built in Last 4 Years.
During the last four years we have
completed lis combatant naval YES
sells. We have under construction
now 1873 additional vessels, consist
ing Of 10 battleships, S aircraft car
riers, 4 heavy cruisers, II light
cruisers, 81 destroyers and II subma-
rines.
In addition to these vessels now
under construction we have pro-
vided for the construction of enough
naval warcraft to give us the largest
navy in the world, sufficiently strong
to protect our interests In both the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans against
any aggressor from any source In
any part of this world.
What else does the record reveal?
When the naval appropriations
bill for the fiscal year 1899 was
passed in the Senate q majority OF
Republican Senators, including the
Republican candidate for Vice
President, Senator McNary, voted
against 1t.
When in the spring of 1899. there
came before the Senate the bill in.
creasing the number of Army air.
planes from $500 to 5000, q ma.
jority Of Republican Senators, in
cluding their present candidate fol
Vice President, voted against 1t.
When in the Senate the naval ap.
preparations bill for the fiscal veal
1910 was adopted, nearly half the
Republican members voted against
it.
When in May. 1899, the naval
appropriations bill carrying $1,000
000, 900 for the Navy was before the
House Of Representatives, Of the So
votes cast against it, 81 were Repub-
ncanS.
When the House of Represent
atives was considering the Army
appropriation bill for 1910, -four
amendments were offered by Re-
publicans to reduce the sums fol
signal service, ordnance and air
planes. OF the $50 members vot-
Ing for these reductions 145 were
Republicans. Only eight Repub-
licans voted against the reductions
Willkie Stand ON Defense
Declared Unstated.
In the United States Senate one
Of the Republican candidates fol
President, Mr.. Taft, urged an
amendment reducing appropriation.
for the Army and Navy by IS pei
cent; and 90 far as I have beer
able to learn, the man who nosed