Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-10
WANTS ARMY RECRUITED
TO FULL WAR STRENGTH
Secretary Garrison Thinks 1t Folly
Not to Take Proper Meas
ures of Precaution.
NO FEARS OF MIL1TARIsM
He Points Out That Prepared Enemy
Would BE Far Oh Road to Success
Before Volunteer Soldiers Could
Be Fitted for Service.

WASHINGTON, December o.-That
the United States Army be Immediate
ly recruited to It's full war strength,
which would mean the addition of
$4,000 men and 1000 officers, is urged
by Secretary Garrison. of the War De-
partment, In his annual report pre-
sented to-day to President Wilson
Such an increase would give the
regular army a total of about 10000
men. OF whom $4,000 would be avail
able as a mobile fighting force in the
continental United States The pres
ent mobile strength of $1,000. the
secretary points out. soon Will be cut
in half by additions to the garrisons
IN the Canal Zone, Hawaii and tho
The report directly mentions the
European war but once.
IMPERATIVE DUTY
cit would be premature" It says.
to attempt now to draw the ultimate
| lessons. from the war in Europe. 1t
an so mach OF @ sh 1T SrnEs homie to
to us as is incontrovertible and not
to be changed by any event. leaving
prehenslve, consideration what It's
later developments and final conclu-
sions may indicate.
regular establishment, the secretary
urges that steps be taken at once to
V.
He dismisses as impracticable talk of
immediate disarmament and as ground
less fears Of militarism in America.
and recommends military prepared
ness on the ground that eternal vigil
ance is the price which must be paid
of life and to defend them" -'s7 :
Whatever the future may hold In
the way of agreements, between ma
tons, followed by actual disarmament
thereof, of International courts of ar
bitration, and other great-to- be-deslred
measures to lessen or prevent conflict
between nation and nation" says the
report. I'VE all know that at present
| these conditions are. not existing. We
can and will eagerly adapt ourselves
these lines; but to merely enfeeble
ourselves in the meantime would, in my
ing and refusing to provide ourselves
with the necessary means of self-pro-
lection and self-defense we could not
hasten or In any way favorably in
fuence 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 $3.50 officers and 119,0S7
men. The enlisted men thereof are
required in order to obtain the nnun-
cial aid which the Congress authorizes
certain conditions, to attend twenty
four drills n year and five days annually
In the field. If all of the National
Guard could be summoned in the event
of war, and should all respond Can
inconceivable, resuln. aud if they were
| all found fairly efficient in tho first
line, that Is, the troops who would he
expected to Immediately take the field,
we could summon force In this coun-
| try of regulars and National Guard
| amounting to 9,SlS officers and 14S,492
men. (This would include only regu-
lars OF fighting force stationed in the
United States proper).
And this is absolutely nil. The only
other recourse would then be volun-
teers. and to equip, organize. train.
and make. them ready. would take, at
| rho smallest possible estimate, six
months.
Anyone who takes the slightest
trouble to Investigate will find that in
modern warfare 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 we'll concede defeat without contest"