Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 252, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1915 — PRESIDENT WILL CONFER ON PLANS [ARTICLE]

PRESIDENT WILL CONFER ON PLANS

Formal Announcement of Army Program Awaits Meeting of Wilson With Leaders in Congress. Washington, Oct. 22.—Formal announcement of army plans in the national defense program to be laid before congress by the administration this winter awaits word from President Wilson that he has concluded his conference with congressional leaders on the subject. While the president has approved the plan which rails for building up an army of more than 1,200,000 in six years, he has not yet an opportunity to discuss it with all those members of the house and senate whose views he wishes to obtain.

It was learned tonight that although it has been determined to recommend establishment of several new harbor defenses on both the Atlantic and Pacific armed with sixteen inch guns, final designs for these giant weapons have not been completed. Army ordnance experts say the 16 inch guns in no sense represent the biggest weapon that can be designed. If ships are built that can withstand the blow of a 16-inch projectile, it merely is a question of building a bigger gun. For that reason the new coast defense guns will be designed only as they are authorized so as to include latest ideas.