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Show NATION PLANS "Washington, D. C , Jan IS. (Special) National preparedness has become the most vital issue before be-fore the American people. President Presi-dent Wilson is insisting that legislation legis-lation must be eneated "without delay de-lay to the attainment of this end Man.y congressmen, at their homes during the holiday season, learned how ardent is the sentiment of their constituents on this issue. Man' plans have been proposed in congress, and the debates will !be most heated and interesting. The most radical view is thaat held by former President Roosevelt, Roose-velt, who apparently believes that the United States should be constantly con-stantly kept on a war basis His program contemplates a military establishment, equal to that of the most powerful nations of Europe. The colonel believes that in no other way can we safeguard our territory and our national Honor. Experts Want More. The program introduced in congress con-gress by President "Wilson constitutes consti-tutes the demands of the administration. admini-stration. This program is a compromise com-promise between the various departments de-partments of the government However, it is clearly not acceptable accept-able to many of those who nnrtie- ' ipated in its preparation. It was j not accepted by the war staff or I the war college and millitary ex- 0 perts believe that it falls short of ! j 8 the recjuirements of the present 1 time. The plan for establishing a continental army has been par-(l I ticularly criticized, especially by J those who believe in rendering 1 I more efficient the militia of the fi J various states. i Congressman Augustus P. Gard- E ner, of Massachusetts is consul- 1 cred the author of the present I movement for national prepared- j ness. He was the first man in I congress to agitate the issue and I to call attention directly to our I dangerous condition of military unpreparedness and naval in- efficiency. Gardner's program is I declared to be unscientific, but it is at least interesting and surges- 1 tive. 1 General Wood, chief of staff of I the army, has given particular Q attention to the more techpical and 1 scientific questions involved. The I American people have never been I instinctively a military class, but Q Wood has insisted that thev I should at least know the salient 1 features of the military art. Up- I on him will devolve the duty of I developing the practical ends of such a program as congress mav adopt. Ba Chamberlain Is Emphatic I Senator George E. Chamberlain 1 of Oregon is chairman of the Q senate committee on military 1 affairs, and will have charge of I the administration measures in the I senate. He is essentially militant 1 and believes in maintaining our 1 position regaardless of develop I ments. v I One of the most notable advo- I cates of a rational system of na. I tional prepardness is Theodore I oEi. Ter senator fr I Ohio, who advocates a construe- I tive policy, perhaps typical of I average sentiment, midway be- I tween the extreme tendencies of 1 those who would place us on a war 1 footing and the advocates of peace I at any price. Senator Burton has I no sympathy with preparation for I offensive warfare. He believes in I such a degree of preparedness as I is essential to our national defense 1 and opposes the creation of 1 military spirit which shall domin I ate all the affairs of our national" I life- lie advocates the enWe. I ' ment of a regular army and thela I! I II I ii i I i e recor-anization and development, ol the national guard as an effec-tive effec-tive adjunct to our regular military mili-tary establishment. He also lava stress upon the need for available officers, llirougnly trained in the theory and tactics of warfare. or this reason he advocates en- larging the militarv and 'naval ae.-idemies at Annapolis and West Point, althrough there is much op position to such a course. But however varied the views lar interest because he is president of the American Peace society While he advocates a proper sys tem of preparedness, he has not lost sight of the ultimate ideal in I the settlement of international dis- putes by judicial methods. But however varied the view of preparedness leaders, none have lost sight of the more practical question that the United States mist be prepared to defend itself M j against aggression from any source. 9 |