Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-12-30
ARMY MEN PLAN,
F0RESEEING WAR
Clash With Great Britain Over
Canal Considered Probable
by Military Leaders.

atlanta army officials will watch with
....rs than usual interest the approach
mo trtp OF Brigadier General Robert k.
rraos L. s A., commander Of the
nsn,rtment Of the Gulf, to Washington
s.ra. conference with Secretary Of War
-..s.ru. Major General Leonard Wood,
.,t others. on plans to reorganize the
.,r,v General Evans leaves January
and viii be in conference with the
.unv men January s.
.rrhosgn the roster OF the United
-,.... army shows S7,259 men, this in
,...- troops now doing service in the
...et artillery. in the Philippines. in
Hawaii. and Panama, who are not
available for immediate service in
mobile army. Less than 10000 men are
randy for immediate service at any
given point and it is the purpose Of
ta. army chiefs to increase the number
.o total OF 100000. capable Of repen-
,u. any invading foe
Seek Trained Reserves.
ra. former term Of enlistment was
.araa years. but the new order makes a
-ayeu-year term. with three or four
Years service and the balance spent in
reserve. Trained soldiers. subject to
recall for service, declare war makers,
will be able to uphold the honor of the
country where recruits would fail
There is deep concern among army
u.r over the Panama canal, and the
IMPRESSION is that war with Great Brit
sin is inevitable If the United States
finally eNempts coastwise American
.atns from paying toll; also that the
country faces extreme. humiliation if 1t
tskes q position favoring England and
the other powers.
Army leaders declare that il the
United States insists on the exemption
of American ships, it is only question
of time before Great Britain viii send
ships and forces down to take the canal
Ship Exemption Might Bring War.
With four naval vessels to one owned
by the United States government. it is
pointed out, she could do that handily,
and there would be little appeal, either
through the medium Of peace or that Of
war Which nation will care to tackle
the United States first remains 10 be
seen but It will be the one which is hit
the hardest
Jealousy Of Germany by England and
vice versa, has heretofore kept America
safe, but the violation Of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty, If exemption of ships
is a violation, likely will bring on war
with the latter country. And America,
50 the wise men say. win be caught en-
tirely unprepared.
Plausible congressman declare that
should England and the United States
go to war, the latter country would
AXE Canada and also resist success
fuily any invading force, but those who
|ook gravely at the siteation point to
similar declarations and the actual per
formances in the war Of 1872, when
American soldiers were easily turned
back from the Canadian border and
England was only bested through cir
'umstances beyond her control
Treaty Is Not Clear.
Elihu Root, formerly secretary OF
VAR, and the present secretary are I'M
a'teFabiy opposed to exemption from
oils and in this position they oppose
President Taft, who has fixed tolls for
"N classes Of ships, excepting American
vessels engaged in coastwise trade.
The HAY Pauncefote treaty provides
.mong other things, the treatment of all
nations ships alike and the nooted
"ueston is whether "al nations" in
ndes the United States or means all
other nations"
This treaty superseded the Clayton
H"lwer treaty OF the early sos. The
atter pact, it is said made it almost
impossible for the United States ever to
luLld and maintain a canal like that