Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-04
REPORT ON WEAKNESS
OF NATIONAL DEFENsEs
Majors General Vothe G Ghief st 5of i
staff OF Army, Lays Con-
ditions Bare.
NO AVAILABLE RESOURCES
xxy;t,,o,+ Hf,.a.,,
o AVAILABLE RESOURCES
Without Material Improvement, Pan
anna Canal, Philippines, Alaska
and Hawaiian Islands All Unpro-
tected Against Foreign Attack.
[Special to The sTimes.pisnatch !

Especial to The Times Dispatch
NEW YORK. December 3-MnI Ior-
General w. w. wotherspoon, chief of
staff of the United States Army, has
informed President Wilson that II
would be impossible to protect the
Panama Canal from n foe in the pres
ent state of the national defenses.
The Philippines, Alaska and tho
Hawaiian Islands, he declares. are all
In similar defenstless condition.
That the great waterway OF the
Pahama Canal Will be unprotected
against the operations OF a nrst- class
military power" says General Wother-
spoon, by the present or proposed
garrison we contemplate placing
there. without the power and ability
10 reinforce 1t rapidly by troops from
the United States, is manifest"
And he adds: without a material
change In conditions at home, we have
no available resources from which
given to us to do So"
rms revelation of the weakness OF
the national defenses Is made in a re-
port dated November Is, 1914, which
General Wotherspoon made to Secre-
tary of War Garrison. by whom II was
referred to the President
The chief OF staff referred to the
defense of the Philippines as 'mnni-
teStly impossible under existing con-
ditions." and characterized the garri-
son of Alaska as ''ridiculous."
REPORT SENSATIONAL
IN CONFIRMATION 1T GIVES
In other respects the report is SEN
sational in the confirmation 1t af-
fords from the uniformed head of the
army OF the charge made from OUT
side sources OF the complete made
quacy of the army establishment to
cope with any emergency which might
arise. lie notes the fact quite Incl
dent2lly. for instance, that the army
Is 154 officers and 1888 enlisted men
below Its authorized strength, and that
there is total deficiency. in the Coast
Artillery Corps OF the regular army
and the organized militia of S56 Off
GERS and 24,4S9 enlisted men, @
II was through figures officially sup
piled in reports by, General Wother-
spoon that tile first inkling was OBJ
tanned that there Is, only sufficient am
munition on hand for our coast defen-
ders to give half an hours battle to
an enemy. To this may also be added,
in General Wotherspoon.s own words
AZ presented to the Presidents: M
The deficiencies in the matter of
fire control and searchlights are OF
the most serious character AS a
matter of fact, proper fire control and
searchlight installation is only main
taincd In limited number of first
class defense areas. the remainder of
the fire control systems and search
light equipment being deficient or inn
provised."
WOTHERSPOON DESCRIBES
OTHER DEFICIENCIES
Describing other deficiencies, Gem
eral Wotherspoon says:
The deficiency in the coast artil-
ley branch. Is 290 officers and II 1851
enlisted mcn. AS to the material
necessary to put this force into the
field and maintain II there for six
months-and the first. six months of
a war are its most vital period-there
is a very decided deficiency In many
there arc only 500 horses available for
use In drill and Instruction of the
Continued on Third Page)