Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-08
imperative Need
of Field Guns
UNITED STATES WHOLLY uN-
PREPARED FOR WAR
$e,ooo,ooo IS REQUIRED
Gen. Wood Asks Congress to APpre-
pirate That Sum for Guns and AM
munitIon to Avoid Abseiuss sIauGhter

Washington, Jan. T-Explaining that
his Judgment was not Influenced by
the Mexican situation. Major General
Wood, chief OF staff of the army, has
advised committees Of congress that Il
snould appropriate $3,0oo,0o0 for field
guns and ammunition for the regular
army and So, 100000 for the militia.
If YOU send our troops into war as
they are now, without guns or ammu-
rition, it would be absolute daughter,
the general told the house military
committee, IF called into the field
suddenly we should have to go with a
very small allowance Of ammunition,
even for the guns in the hands OF ths
troops and we should have neither
guns nor ammunition enough for our
field artillery forces"
Situation in Event Of War.
General Wood in written statement,
said:
1--WE have neither guns nor ansmudi-
ton sufficient to give any general COM
manding an army IN the tseld any az
surance of success if attacked By an
army of equal size, which ID su2pHsd
with its proper quota Of Hesd artillery
1T is my belief that no Elodern war
bztEeen first class koves1 VIII last
fer one year an4 unless rTivaas mana
facturers are Eow encouraged 30 man
ufacture ammunition for Us, after war
dstioa to DO so uEtn after the war Is
finished; and the supply OF anHmuni-
ton during the war will be limited to
what the arsen<-ls can turn out At
present this is about ], 500 rounds q
day, running three shifts and this am
ditions would be fired by eight guns in
one day of battle. II guns are not
supplied on the battlefield with the
ammunition which they can be reason
ably expected to use, they are not ef-
flcent and when guns have exhausted
the ammunition supplied they are
worse than junk. for they must be
protected by other troops
Army of 100000 Needed.
THE war department believes after
extended study, that in case OF war
with a first class power. an army OF
500, 900 man will be needed TO give this
country any chance Of success against
invasion. and that this force Will be
needed at once. To make it efficient
field artillery. To do this the artillery
must be on hand, for It cannot be Cup
piled after war is started. A mu-
nicipalfty might as well talk about
buying its fire hose after the con-
1agration has started. A fire depart
ment, without its proper equipment,
Is worthless, irrespective OF the num-
Der of men it has, and 80 would your.
armies unless you provide in peace the
material which viii make them effec-
tive in war"
The general suggested that the
United States regular mobile army
should be organized into three infantry
and two cavalry divisions with an ag-
gregate war strength Of about "a, e9e
requiring 54 batteries or 216 guns.
A Militia Strength of $4,000.
with the co-Ooeration af fha state
governors, the militia he said, now
could be organized into twelve in
fantry and five auxiliary divisions with
an aggregate war strength of 292, 900
men, needing 174 batteries or 6eS guns.
The aggregate of the two forces thus
would be 1000 men. or approximately
two field armies short Of the force OF
500, ,000 men. These two field armies
will require 168 guns apiece or 1856
guns. The United States garrisonz
abroad have 6S guns. Noting that the
militia has in it's hands about "a per
cent. of the guns 1t should have, the
general added. to summarize, for tbs
regular army and volunteers we would
need 59s guns, for the militia ess
guns"
Referring 10 the United States being
a rich country, he said:
IF we are unprepared for war thers
would be more temptation for q coun
try to strike us and If it makes I'D RS
mind to do so IL can strike Us at any
time"
These field guns wanted for forcs
of 300, 900 men, the gst1eraI declared.
would be used for defense purposaA
IS this country would not start to 70
abroad with an army of that size.