The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-12-14
NATION IS I'm
PREPARED
FOR WAR
Secretary of War Points
Out Weak Points in
Army Of U. S.

washington, Dec. l3.-Ine total
unpreparedness of the United States
for war is set out in startling fash
ion by Secretary of War Dickinson
in reply to the House resolution
introduced by Representative Nc
Lachlan calling for statement of
the military conditions as they exist
today.
This does not mean that the coun-
try is deficient only in offensive
power. In my opinion this country
can not, so far as its land forces are
concerned" says Mr.. Dickinson, "be
considered in a state of readiness
for defense or TO repel invasion if
attempted on our coast by any first
class power having the shipping to
! transit of her armored forces over
the sea-
The regular army is found by
Secretary Dickinson to be almost ia
tally deficient. 1t lacks numbers; it
lacks the proper proportion of the
various arms. and reserves of field
guns and supplies, it is widely scat
tered; it is not organized into bril-
gades and divisions essential for war
purposes. While the coast defenses
are satisfactory in the matter of
equipment there are not enough ar
tilerymen to man them, he says.
iS IN
declares Secretary Dickinson. 1t
lacks arms and numbers; it is with
out proper organization: it is so
scattered as to prohibit its prompt
concentration; it is deficient in
training and physical stamina and
many of the militiamen, by reason
of family relations could not be
counted upon for long war service.
Making deductions for ineffect-
ives, the regular army numbers on
ly about ga 900 and the militia S.
zoo. AS an enemy with the choice
of point Of attack might require US
TO have an adequate defense at all
points, the minimum number Of
trained mobile troops required to
prevent a Judgment by the enemy
on the Atlantic or Gulf coasts is
placed at 10000 This is on the
theory that the single first hostile
expedition to cross the Atlantic
would be made up of 100,000 and
that the crossing could be made In
from ten to eighteen days, while the
eXpeditiOnary force of like strength
might be expected to follow in from
twenty to forty days. Yet to repel
this force we have available in all
parts of the United States at pres
cnt only 114,500 regulars and mill
tia lacking in many essentials. So
that there is an actual shortage of
335. 500 men 10 defend our Atlantic
and Gulf coasts. In addition 1919
trained Coast Artillery 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 Allan
tic and Gulf coasts and The same
number Of defenders would be neces-
sary. 1t would require tnirty days
time to assemble even the small
force we now have at present upon
the Pacific coast. TO adequately
man the Pacific forts 1926 addi-
tional artillerymen are necessary.
With these pregnant facts facing
him, Secretary Dickinson declares
that we should have available at ali
times a trained military force Of
4o0,0 men composed Of active
troops in training and a reserve OBJ
ligated and ready to join the colors
in case Of war. The Secretary de-
clares that this estimate is conserv-
ative, making no allowance for dis
ease and disability among new troops
and he holds that in fact a more suit
able estimate would be 100000 men.
He recommends the accumulation OF
stores for an emergency, as
all other military powers have. the
complete organization of the military
force into large units, arrangements
for speedy mobilization; the adop-
ton of uniform and systematic
plan of military development and
finally, the creation of permanent
council of national defense to be
composed of members Of the legisla-
tive and executive branches of the
government.