Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-11
SENATOR WEEKS OF MAssAcHU.
sETrs OBJECTS TO MAKING
REPORTS PUBLIC.
NAVAL AND ARMY SECRETS
BECOME PROPERTY OF WORLD
Praises Personnel Of Navy and Urges
Reorganization Of Army, With For-
nation Of Reserve Fores-outlines
Plan to Increase Military Defense
Without Establishing Great Army.

Washington, Dec. 11.-Declaring that
there has been too much publicity OF
the military affairs of the nation, Sem
ator Weeks, of Massachusetts, pro-
posed today to end the agitation,
praised the personnel of the navy and
urged the organization of an army re-
serve.
ANY one may learn about our naval
or military establishments by reading
the reports of the secretaries of the
departments and reports of those con-
ducting the bureaus and branches of
the services" he said. 1T is an open
book and any one can learn our secrets.
I'm fact. there is and has been alto
gether too much publicity in such mat
ters. We have had demonstration
during the present European war Of
the value of secrecy in conducting mil
itary operations and there is no reason
why we should spread broadcast what
we are doing. have no doubt that
every European government Is in
formed in detail of our condition on
land and sea, and If any changes are
the direction Of greater. publicity"
Hope For Peace; Prepare For War.
While expressing the hope that the
European war would be the last great
war and that nations would see the
folly of maintaining such great mill
tary establishments as great European
countries have done. and that general
agreement may be made which will
nj Gn frNv or 1onS OF no wi. Afu-
armament" Senator Weeks maintained
it was the part Of wisdom tc consider
what course to follow In case such .
result could not come.
"At this time" he continued, "it
does not seem to me that it is wise
or prudent to do anything which would
lishment is in class with that Of Ger
many and France and probably second
only to that to Great Britain"
Proposes Army Reorganization.
Senator Weeks maintained that the
army was insufficient and proposed it's
Reorganization not for the purpose of
ganize a reserve corps which would
make available large force of trained
soldiers at all times.
that the country needs a force OF 5OO,-
000 trained men, supplemented by 100,-
900 to 100000 volunteers 70 give 1t a
reasonable chance Of protection agains.
foe. and that the 100000 men will be
needed at once on the outbreak of war
organized as fighting machines-it
would appear that the defense provided
at present by congress is inadequate
and practically worthless and that the
money spent on this defense Is largely
wasted"
Thru reserve system, he declared, a
large army could be maintained at less
expense than the standing army now.
Would Organize Reserve Force.
Il believe" he said, that laws
should be passed at once which will
reorganize the regular army This
reorganization should give to the mo-
bile army the proper proportion of
artillery, infantry, cavalry, engineers,
sanitary troops, the needed ammuni-
tion and supply trains and provide for
property equipped depots
"The law must provide that the men
must serve the shortest necessary time
to make them trained soldiers and then
pass them to the reserve, and while
serving in this reserve they must be
paid. Make the enlistment age Is to
21, with consent OF parents, and 90
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 laws to provide skilled
military trainers for volunteers