Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-13
ARMY RESERVE PLAN
Scheme Proposed in Repre-
sentative TiIson's Bill.
PROTECTION IN WAR TIME
Insures Putting 235, 900 Soldiers in
Field in Few Days.
COST WOULD NOT BE GREAT
Men Trained in Regular Establish
ment or the National Guard
Would Be Available.

A plan for the creation of a military
reserve that will insure putting into the
field, in the event of war and upon a
faw days notice nearly quarter of a
million trained men and yet that will not
materially increase the number in the
standing army in time of peace is pro-
posed in a bill introduced in the House
today by Representative Tilson Of Con-
necticut
Mr.. Tilson is lieutenant colonel in the
National Guard Of Connecticut, a MEM
Der of the House military affairs COM
mittee and close student of army con-
ditions. and the legislation for which he
now stands sponsor, framed after study
ing conditions among the troops that
were along the Mexican frontier year
ago, and after consultation with many
high army and War Department officials.
is pronounced by military men the most
important military legislation since the
Representative Tilson has started out
with two propositions to be met: First,
that the army of the United States. with
the National Guard as 1t now exists, is
entirely inadequate for national defense
in case of war, while the immediate use
fuIness of this small army would be
largely destroyed by the necessity of fill
ing up the ranks with raw recruits or
volunteers; second. that the people of
the United States do not desire and
should not be compelled to maintain a
regular standing army large enough for
adequate defense in time Of war.
Thinks It a Solution.
A practical solution, Mr. Tilson thinks.
is offered by his bill. Under present con-
ditions, he estimates, 10000 regulars and
$1,000 National Guardsmen probably
could be put in the field within thirty
days, in case OF war. Under his bill, Mr..
Tilson says, there could be put into the
field In the same time trained. armed and
equipped, 10000 regulars and 100000
militia.
1.-The beauty of the plan and the fea-
ture 1 depend upon to help me to get
the bill through this economy Congress,
Mr. TilsOn explained today, rs that the
entire cost of it. including ten days train
ing of the reserves at maneuvers eacn
year, would only be $775.OO0 a year. or
less than is necessary to support two
regiments Of regular infantry:
The plan Is based on the policy of keep
ing in touch with the enlisted men OF
the regular Army, Navy, Marine Corps
and National Guard, who have been
trained in military tactics, so that these
trained men will be available and can be
called out in time OF war Inc men IN
training every year by military maneu-
vers, such as are held every year by the
National Guard.
It is generally known that the COM
panies. battalions and regiments of the
regular Army or Of the National Guard.
are not kept at their full authorized
strength, but in skeleton form. The first
feature of the plan Is to provide reserves
which, If called out when war Is Inn
minent, would raise these units in the
Army and National Guard to their maxi
mum strength. To accomplish that, the
enlistment period of the Army is in
creased from three to six years: but the
last three years may be. in the discretion
of the enlisted men. on furlough. THESE
furloghed men are to be kept on the rolls
OF the organizations to which they be-
long, and are to be subject to the gen.
eral laws and regulations OF men on fur
Tough. Necessary equipment is to be
kept at convenient stations for these re-
serves, should they be called out for war.
m~Y1d ELL Uocancioa