The Washington herald., 1914-11-16
TO Peril
in CASE OF WAR
Gen. Wood Says Trained Re-
serves Would Be Of
Great Value.
FOUR REFORMS NEEDED
Three Tactical Infantry Divisions
Within Continental Limits Advised.
Ammunition Is Lacking.

A vital section Of a report which Gen.
Leonard Wood, formerly Chief Of Staff,
now in command of the Department Of
the East, made to the Secretary of War
before he left Washington. has just be-
come public.
Recommendations in the report for the
reorganization of the army are accepted
by military men as the first steps that
must be taken in any plan for preparing
the army for a great war. 1t Is upon
these recommendations that Representa-
tive Gardner based. in part. his resOlu-
ton for an investigation of the military
defenses OF the nation.
When the Gardner resolution. which will
be compelled to overcome political break
ers before II gets the right OF way, is
finally considered by the Rules Committee
at the coming session Of Congress, the
following recommendations made by Gen.
Wood will be presented as a concise en-
bodiment OF the fundamental needs of
the army:
"First-The establishment OF a re-
serve Of trained men for the regular
army sufficient to bring IL Immediate
ly to full statutory strength and to re-
place the losses Of the first three
months Of war.
Ammunition Is Lacking.
"Second-The prompt provision Of
the remaining AZ per cent of our
very modest project for field artillery
guns as yet unprOvided for and the
necessary ammunition for those now
made or under manufacture. The
present shortage in ammunition con-
stitutes a grave source of danger.
OF this type cannot be
bought in case an emergency should
arise requiring its use without great
delay: no nation carries IL for sale.
1t cannot be manufactured in this
country no matter what efforts we
make without such delay as would
probably render il unavailable during
the emergency. The condition is
very grave one, greatly diminishing
our chance of success in case Of war,
and should be remedied with the least
possible delay. The importance of
promptly securing this ammunition
cannot be too strongly stated.
''Third-The creation of the neces-
sary organization to give three complete
tactical infantry divisions within the
limits Of the United States.
"Fourth-The enactment of such per-
sonnel legislation as will eliminate ef-
fectively the unfit and stimulate the eff
cient officer to continued efforts through
a condition under which
progress in rank and command will have
a close and dependent relationship upon
capacity. fitness. and accomplishment.
Such is not the condition now.
should Act without Delay.
The first and second Of the above rec
deal with conditions which
should be corrected with the least posi-
BILE delay, as their continuance means
disaster in case of war. Their correction
will take time, and measures looking
thereto should be pushed as rapidly as
possible
The third is necessary to complete
the continental limits Of the United
States. 1t means a field army OF about
20. 600 troops in a population Of more than
80 D0O.OOO
The fourth is essential il We are to
attain the highest degree of efficiency"
Gen. Wood has said repeatedly that the
entire system OF training State troops
should be revised and that they should
be given a real taste of up-tO-date mill
tary instruction.
AS pointed out in Gen. Woods recon-
one Of the greatest curses
in the present military organization is
the fact that the small mobile army is
cut into small detachments nd is scat
tered. for political reasons, from Cali
fornia TO Maine. making It impossible to
assemble the troops rapidly or to give
them the proper training that can be
had only at large posts. where the va
rious regiments are given opportunities
to work together in tactical movements.
The expense OF maintaining the archaic
system Is estimated to approximate
twice the cost of keeping a concentrated
army of the same size.
O. g
American army officers have ever been
IN command OF more than a handful of
troops as a result of the detached post
system is looked upon as the source of
another great weakness in the fighting