The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-10-02
REPORT ON DEFENSES
WILL. BE SUBMITTED
Department Has Acted Under
Congress instructions to
Show to Public the Need OF
Coast Oefenses.
~ RooeRIck CLIFFORD.

at the coming session to create a re-
serve corps Of trained soldiers men
who have seen service In either the
regular army or the militia organize
lions. and who will be In immediate
readiness for war.
To this end. IL Is said, the depart.
ment will work hand In hand with the
militia organizations OF the various
states. A program for the general
bctterment of the fighting force of the
nation Is to be discussed. outlined and
decided upon when the war depart.
ment experts attend the coming an.
nual session Of the militia organise
ton OF the various states. which II to
meet In st. Louis. beginning. October
third.
When congress convenes. It Is ex-
pected that the department will i'm.
mediatcly submit It's report on the Nc
Laughlin resolution. adopted by the
house, which seeks accurate informa.
tion ~ to the ability of the United
States to defend itself against the at
tack OF an enemy. with especial re-
ference to the defenses OF the Pacific
coast. The resolution was introduced
sn SOu8tSoo W 1SCVIGUSuI2uv0 NC
Laushlin, OF Pasadena, CAL. who re-
fleets the general sentiment of the
Pacific coast members over the Jap
ancse war scare.
Report Of Department.
The report of the war department,
Il 10 said. will be plain and truthful
and will show that the country IL
woefully deficient in the ability to
defend itself. were It to become en-
Gagged In conflict with world pow
Or.
At present there Is only an available
army OF 100000 men for immediate
defense. men trained In the art Of war.
Sixty thousand Of these are militia
men and eighty thousand regulars.
A . defender Of either the Atlantic
or the Pacific coasts. this army would
be absolutely insufficient. Il 10 said
by army officers. A world power war
would mean mighty naval conflict.
II We were mt war with Japan, the
fighting would be on the Pacific De-
feated and our Pacific fleets destroy.
cd. Japan would practically have this
country At her mercy in landing an
AuV0UtI8 WtSuIu " WOulu sue
could land more men from transports
than our combined regular and militia
strength. 1t would be impossible to
protect the Pacific coast line. 1t is
said. with 150.OOO men, three hundred
thousand trained fighters at least
needed.
On the Atlantic and Southern coasts
the same conditions would hold true.
II II declared. were we at war with 4
European power. such as Germany or
England With our fleet destroyed. It
10 said. that at least 100000 trained
men would be needed to resist an In.
vasion.
THE old idea" said an officer the
other day that the patriotic Ameri-
can farmers. armed with pitchforks.
can hurl back all invaders OF our soil
10 tommy rot" In these times. II
was formerly true. but not now. We
must have available fighting men,"
Measure 81 Relief.
One Of the measures Of relief that
II II said will be suggested to con.
Eress as practicable. Ia the creation
Of reserve corps" This body It Is
contemplated. will be made up OF all
men who have served an enlistment In
the regular army, or who served a
definite period In the militia organ.
cations II Is suggested that the men,
bers OF the reserve be paid about $40
year and that for period of ten
days In each year. they Join" the col
crs. They would be maintained in
companies. arms be set aside for their
use and apart from ten days annual
Grill and encampment. all they would
have TO do would be to keep the Off.
Gers Of the reserve In touch with their
address so that they could be reached
without delay.
Experts have figured out that while
the regular army costs 100000. 900
year to maintain $4,000 men In train.
ing. $S.0OO.0OO q year would keep a
reserve corps Of 100000 men In camp
OF instructions for ten days each year.
pay all transportation and commissary
expenses and provide for the small
yearly salary the members OF the re.
serve corps would receive. Such q
reserve corps Of 100000 could. within
ten years. Il Is pointed out. be built
up and maintained at small cost As
the years progressed the corps could
BE- increased until \ million men. citi.
zen soldiers of the United States,
would he trained. equipped and ready
for instant warfare.
Could Get Coed Men.
Under the present arrangement 4
man discharged from the regulars or
militia drifts away. There are thous-
ends Of men who have seen service
who could be brought into the reserve
"a form basis for the corps. II con-
rress accedes to the plan. and pro-
eides the necessary appropriation.
Not only do war department officials