The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-12-22
u. S. HELD HELPLESS
SECRETARY DICKINSON POINTS
OUT LACK OF MEN, oReANI-
zATIoN AND SUPPLIES.
FOR AN ARMY OF 45O,OoO
Secret Report Also Recommends Def
mite Policy and a Council Of De-
fense-Heuse Refuses to Receive
Document.

Washington.-Jacob NJ. Dickinson,
secretary of war, in a secret report
to the house, presents most alarm
ing picture of the helplessness Of
the United States, with its standing
army about one-third as large as 1t
should be, lacking adequate supplies
and military organization, in case the
nation should be attacked by a for
eign foe.
The report, which the house refused
to accept because 1t was presented to
It as a secret, has become public
property here Friday and the subject
of much discussion. 1t was sent in
response to the resolution of Repre-
sentative McLachlan of California
asking as to the condition of the de.
fenses.
Mr.. Dickinson recommends that the
standing army be increased to a
minimum of 100000 men, that there
be adequate war supplies on hand at
all times for the regular and militia
forces, that congress adopt definite
military policy and that a permanent
council Of defense be organized.
A summary of the report shows
that the secretary first pointed out the
total unpreparedness of the United
States for war; the lack of guns and
other supplies, and defects in the
army system.
"In my opinion this country cannot
so far as its land forces are con
cerned," continued Mr.. Dickinson, "be
considered in state of readiness for
defense or to repel invasion if at
tempted on our coast by any first-class
power having the shipping to trans
port and the navy to protect the trans
1t Of her armed forces over the sea.
The regular army is found by Sec
deficient. 1t lacks numbers; it lacks
the proper proportion of the various
arms, and reserves of field guns and
supplies; 1t is widely scattered; it is
not organized into brigades and di
visions essential for war purposes
While the coast defenses are satisfac
tory in the matter of equipment there
are not enough artillerymen to man
them, he says.
The militia is in even worse case
declares Secretary Dickinson. 1t lacks
arms and numbers; it is without prop
er organization; it is scattered as to
prohibit prompt concentration; 1t is
deficient In training and physical
stamina, and many of the militiamen
by reason of family relations, could
not be counted on for long war service
Making deductions for ineffectives
the regular army numbers only about
| $4,000 and the militia $4,000. AS an
enemy with the choice of point Of at
tack might require US to have an
adequate. defense at all points, the
minimum number of trained mobile
troops required to prevent lodgment
by the enemy on the Atlantic or gulf
coasts is placed at 100000.
This is on the theory that the first
hostile expedition to cross the Atlantic
would be made up Of 100000, and that
the crossing could be made in ten to
eighteen days, while an expeditionary
force of like strength might be expec
ted to follow in twenty to forty days
To repel this force, we have avail
able in all parts Of the United States
at present, only 114,500 regulars, and
militia lacking in many essentials.
So there is an actual shortage OF
335 500 men to defend our Atlantic
and gulf coasts, Mr. Dickinson says
In addition, 1919 trained coast ar
tillery troops are needed to man the
existing forts. The same number OF
men could be brought by an enemy
against our Pacific coast as against
the Atlantic and gulf coasts and the
same number of defenders would be
necessary. 1t would require 80 days
to assemble even the small force we
now have on the Pacific coast.