The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-06-13
WOODS PLAN
To INCREASE
THE ARMY
In Eight Years There Would 30
a Trained Force Ui
100000 Men

| Washington. June iS-A change il
tae military system OF the Unite,
states SO radical as to be almos
revolutionary has Just been propose,
/ DY Mai Gen Leonard Wood chief 0
lstatf, t. S A., who is urging upor
lcougress the adoption of his plan fo
/ a my reserves, Stated briefly. hi.
plan is nothing less than the reten
j ton Of the enlisted men of the reg
ln'ar army and the militia, subject 4
a call to arms for a period Of years
latter they have served their time
with the colors In other words
General Wood proposes to build up
IA the United States a trained sold
iory which shall be In constant state
al preparedness for war. without
such force military experts say,
certain defeat would result from war
with any OF the great powers,
The popular conception OF the milf
tary policy of the United states Is
that we should have small but Of.
etieni standing army Il is every.
where admitted that ia case OF real
war, victory would have to be won,
Inot By the small body of regular
troops, but by Mr. Common People,
turned soldier, who would be called
In TO supplement the existing army
The military leaders insist that
the citizen reserve be trained re-
serve, that shall not only know what
to do when placed in the field, but
how to do II
Tc Enlist For Ten Years
General wood S plan for bringing
about q state Of preparedness Is sim.
pc, He proposes TO make the on.
listment term In the regular army
ten years. OF which three shall ba
served with the colors. During the
remaining seven years, according to
bis plan, each soldier shall be on re.
serve. Il is proposed to allow iiim
ehtire freedom In civil life, with full
cbolce as TO place OF residence and
occupation. provided he shall keep
Tie adjutant general OF the regular
2 my always informed OF his where
slouts. 1t Is proposed that during
she seven years he is on reserve each
cN.soldier be paid a nominal sum. say
slo0 a month for his trouble In keep
ing IN touch with the war depart
ment General Wood would also
raye these men under obligation 10
attend maneuyers with the militia
and regular army every other wear,
for a period of seven or eight DAYS.
Tic would except the reaeryists from
the obligation of responding to call
Tor strike or riot duty
% Not Want Re.enIistments
Each year, under the present flat
period or three Years, the
army loses about twenty thousand
men. If these men were saved to
tDe army through reserve, for 4
period of seven years after tae OK.
piratiOn Of their first three years, in
eight years force OF approximately
one hundred and sixty Thousand men
would be established These men
could be placed in the field on little
leole than few hours notice. and
constitute All army OF which no gem
eral need entertain distrust With
the regular army of nearly one hun.
cred thousand men, aud the militia
the reserpists would make UP force
ef approximately four hundred thou
sand men. 1t is estimated that the
tIiited States would need at least
this number OF soldiers al the very
W4set OF any war worthy of the
name
Contrary to general opinion. re.on.
listments OF soldier in the regular
army are not desired by officers OF
General Wood school OF military
thought These officers hold that the
interests of the nation viii be con.
served best by giving to as many cit.
igons as possible the training In mIi,I
ilary discipline the use of weapons,
and the general prInci
pies Of modern soldiery They con
tend that the American people VIII
be much better prepared for war byI
containing among themselves large
Of mon who have learned
soIdiery, rather than through the
OF regular army con.
sisting Of men who nave never done
aud never viii do anything but march
and shoot