Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-10

Washington, Dec. 9.-That the Unit
ed States army be Immediately recruited
to its full war strength, which would
mean the addition OF $4,000 men and
1000 officers, 10 urged by Secretary
Garrison of the War Department. in
his annual report presented today to
President Wilson.
Such an increase would give the reg
ular army a total of about 10000 men.
of whom $4,000 would be available as
a mobile lighting force in the CONT
mental United States. The present mo-
bile strength of $4,000. the secretary
points out soon will be- cut in half by
additions to the garrisons in the Canal
Zone. Hawaii and the Philippines.
The report directly mentions the Eu
ropean war but once.
"It would be premature" 1t says, "to
attempt now to draw the ultimate les
sons from the war in Europe. It is
an imperative duty, however, to heed
so much of what it brings home to US
as Is incontrovertible and not to be
changed by any event. leaving for later
and more detailed and comprehensive
consideration what its later develop
ments and final conclusions may indi-
cate"
In addition to strengthening the reg
ular establishment, the secretary urges
that steps be taken at once to create a
more adequate reserve army. He dis
misses as impracticable talk of imme-
date disarmament and as groundless
nf yic N nd
recommends military preparedness on
the ground that eternal vigilance is
the price which must be paid in order
to obtain the desirable things Of life
and to defend Them
Whatever the future may hold in
the way of agreements between ma
tions. followed by actual disarmament
thereof, of international courts of ar
~bitration2 and other greatly -to-be-de-
sired measures to lessen or prevent
conflict between nation and nation"
says the report, I'VE all know that at
present these conditions are not. exist
ing. We can and will eagerly adapt
ourselves to each benefcent develop
ment along these lines; but to merely
enfeeble ourselves in the meantime
would. in my view. be unthinkable
folly. BY neglecting and refusing to
provide ourselves with the necessary
means of self-protection and self-de-
Tense we could not hasten or IN any
way favorably influence the ultimate
results we desire In these respects"
The present full war strength of the
United States is summarized by the
report as follows:
"The organized militia of the various
states totals 1929 officers and 119,0s7
men. The enlisted men thereof are re-
CURED, In order to obtain the financial
aid which the Congress authorizes the
secretary of war. to extend under GER
tain conditions, to attend "a drills
year and 5 days annually in the field.
II all of the National Guard could be
summoned In the eyent of war and
should all respond Ian inconceivable
result), and if they were all found
fairly efficient in the first line--that is,
the troops who would be expected to
Immediately take the feld-we could
summon force in this country Of reg
ulars and National Guard amounting
to s,s1s officers and 14s,4s2 men. (This
would include only regulars of fighting
force stationed in the United States
proper.)
And this is absolutely all The only
other recourse would then be volun-
teers, and to equip. organize. train. and
make them ready would take, at the
smallest possible estimate, six months.
Anyone who takes the slightest
trouble to investigate will find that in
modern warfare a prepared enemy
would progress SO far on the way to
success in six months. If his antagonist
had to wait six months to meet him.
that such unprepared antagonist might
as well concede defeat without con-
test"
OF the efficiency of the present army
Mr.. Garrison says:
while our existing organization is
Of the exceedingly small numbers al
ready mentioned, 1t is unQuestionably
in as excellent condition as any similar
number Of men in any other military
establishment in the world. Were it
not for a desire to avoid invidious COM
parsons should say that man for
man, It is better than any similar ex-
listing military establishment in the
world. do not believe that anyone
Will dispute the statement that the
army has never been in better condi-
ton than 1t is today. from the most
recently enlisted man Up &c this high
est officers. There is an esprit de
corps. an eagerness to constantly strive
toward perfection. willingness to I'M
dertake and satisfactorily perform any
and every duty. that is most com
mendable and encouraging"
Passing to the need for q larger
army. regular and reserve. the secretary
discusses at some length peace and the
use Of the word "militarism," touching
upon the mooted question of whether
military preparation tends to prevent
war.
at is, Of course not necessary to
dwell on the blessings of peace and
the horrors of war" he says. Every
one desires peace. just as every one
desires health, contentment. affection,
sufficient means for comfortable exist
ence. and other similarly beneicent
things. But peace and the other states
Of being Just mentioned are not always
or even often solely within ones own
control. 1t may truthfully be said that