The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-03-24

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Comprehensive plans are being
made by the general staff of the Unit
| ed States army for placing the mill
tary establishment on a more efficient
footing. Briefly, they look to the for
nation Of a regular reserve corps of
10000 trained men, national re-
serve of 100000 and an organized state
militia of at least $4,000. 1t is pro-
posed to keep the army enlisted to it's
present strength of $4,000 men. With
these reserves established, the new
plan would allow the president to call
together an effective fighting force of
100000 men at very short notice.
Officers of the general staff declare
that if the plans under consideration
are adopted and made effective the
United States will head all the world
powers, comparatively speaking, in be-
ing able to put in the field, thoroughly
equipped and trained, at a moments
notice, an army of quarter of a mil
lion soldiers.
The militia reserve, set at $4,000,
could be expanded as states accept
the terms of the Dick act, passed in
1908, which provides ways and means
for promoting the efficiency of state
forces. The organized militia numbers
$4,000 officers and enlisted men: AS
census reports show that the United
States could, if pressed, put an army
of nearly 100000 in the field, the
general staff believes that the re-
serves can be filled. in very short
time.
With force of 100000 trained men
ready for a call to arms the United
States would occupy a low position
when this force is compared with 9th
er armies of the world. Outside of
England military service is generally
compulsory in Europe, and this must
be taken into consideration in making
the comparison.
France has an active army of 400,-
900 men in service. Her first reserve
corps numbers 100000 men, while
there are 2,270,000 men in what is
known as the territorial reserves"
She can easily put 100000 trained
men in the field at short notice. Aus
tria-Hungary can put $4,000 men in
the field on war mobilization by
simply calling on the reserve forces
the members of which are trained.
The peace army is composed Of 346,-
900 officers and men.
70
ton resources, our army of 100000
looks like a corporal's guard. Upon
the word of the kaiser Germany can,
on very short notice, mobilize 3,0O0,-
900 trained men, fully equipped Her
regular peace army is only 100000
strong. Her reserves consist Of g.
100000 infantry, $4,000 cavalry, $780,
900 artillery, $4,000 technical troops,
such as engineers, signalmen, balloon
lists, automobile corps, etc., and 16S,
900 troops Of other formations. They
are in active reserve service.
Italy's peace army of $4,000 is al
most as great as the army of reserves
contemplated by the general staff. A
trained army of 1,150,000 men can be
put in the field at short notice, re-
cruited from the reserve mobile mill
tia, the reserve territorial militia and
from the national reserves. Her to-:
tai war strength is estimated at g.
100000.
One of the features of the new PLAN
that establishing militia reserve of
$4,000 men, has attracted a great deal
of attention among national guards
men, who are wondering how this
number will be selected. The general
staff is silent on this point, but it is
fair to presume that efficiency rating
will figure in the selection as the
most salient feature 1t may be that
each state will be called upon to fur
nish it's best regiment, the idea being
to appeal to state pride and patriot
lsm.-Chicago Chronicle. - - .