Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-11
SECRECY URGEDIN
MILITARY AFFAIRS
Senator Weeks, in Speech in
Senate, Says There Is Too
Much Publicity.
BELIEVES REGULAR ARMY
SHOULD BE REORGANIZED
Favors Reserve Made Up From Men
Who Have Seen Service
With the Colors.

| much publicity of military affairs of
the nation, Senator Weeks of Massa-
chusetts in a speech in the Senate to-
day opposed agitation for special in
vestigation of military preparedness,
praised the strength and personnel Of
the navy and urged the organization of
an army reserve.
ANY one may learn about our mill
tary or naval establishments by read
ing the reports of the secretaries of
the departments and the reports of
those who are conducting the different
bureaus and branches of the service"
said the senator. ut is an open book
to all our citizens, and there need be
no doubt about our relative position
or our capabilities if one is disposed
to study reports instead of seeking no.
toriety in the press.
I'm fact. there is and has been al
together too much publicity in such
matters. in my Judgment. We have
had a demonstration during the pres
ent European war of the value of Sc
crecy in conducting military opera
lions; and there is no reason why we
should spread broadcast what we are
DONG. or what preparations we have
made. l have no doubt that every Eu-
ropean country is Informed in the most
minute detail of our condition. both on
land and sea. and if any change in our
methods is to be made il should not he
in the direction of greater publicity.
out should be to protect our operations
even in time of peace from scrutiny
both at home and abroad"
Hopes for Disarmament.
While expressing the hope that the
European war would be the last great
haf
Jolly OF maintaining such great mill
tary establishments as great European
countries have done, and that a gen
erai agreement may be made which
VIII provide for at least a partial dis
armament. Senator Weeks maintained
~ was the part of wisdom to consider
% course 10 follow in case such a
result should not come
AT this time" he continued "it does
not seem to me that ii is wise or nrr-
dent to take any action which will
chanee our policy or add to our naval
preparation which can be expended nm
der the direction of the general boar rd
OF the navy. with the approval of the
secretary OF the Navy and the presi :.
@ uei.' BASED ON the experience of the
past, our naval establishment is in a
class with those of Germany and
Franee. and probably second only to
that of Great Britain"
senator weeks maintained that the
army was Insufficient, and proposed IT'S
reorganization. not for the purpose of
increasing the permanent active army
out LOT >ehe organization of reserve
corps, which would make available
large forces of trained soldiers ar All
times. IF the military experts are
right, he said. that the country needs
a force OF 100000 trained men. sunnIe-
mented by from 100000 to 100000 vol
usi.eers' 10 give 1t reasonable chance
OF
and that the 100000 will be needed at
once on the outbreak of war, organized
as nSntlng machines. it would appear
that the defense provided at present
py congress is inadequate and practi-
cally worthless. and that the money
spent on this defense is largely vast
ed
Through a reserve system Senator
weeks maintained that the much larg-
er army could be maintained at less
expense than permanent standing
army now.
Would Reorganize Army.
Il believe" said the senator, that
laws should be passed at once which
VIII reorganize the regular army This
reorganization should give to the mo-
bile army the proper proportion of in
fantry, field artillery, cavalry en-
sineers, signal. sanitary troops. the
needed ammunition and supply trains
and provide for properly equipped
depots. The law must provide that the
men serve the shortest time with the
coiors necessary to train them as SOL
diers and then pass them as soon as
trained to reserve, and that while
serving in this reserve the men must
be paid. Make the enlistment age
eighteen to twenty-One, with consent
OF parents, and twenty-five as limit for
first enlistment"
In addition to the national reserve
force Senator Weeks would have a
similar reserve organized under the
state militia and urged laws to provide
skilled military trainers for volun-
teers.
ut is believed" said Senator Weeks,
that men can be held in the reserve
at from s36 to $40 per year. We can
keep, then, in reserve eight men for
the same cost as one man can be kept
with colors. counting only his pay.
food and clothing.
From cost alone the enlisted men
serving with the colors are then kept
at the minimum, and as soon as they
are trained they are passed to the re-
serve.
No nation is rich enough to keep
with the colorS in peace all of the men
she needs adequate defense
against n probable foe. and even if it
could afford to keep such profession
al army it would be inadvisable to do
so.