Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-12-16
Senator Opposes AIRING Mill
tary Plans and STRENGTH
Thinks Navy Equal to
Possible Emergencies.
FOR SETTLED ARMY POLICY
Reserve Army Will Strengthen
Defense Force and More
Equipment Should Be
Provided, He Says.

Washington. Dec. 12.-Declaring that
there has been too much publicity of
military affairs of the nation, Senator
Weeks, OF Massachusetts in a speech in
inc senate today opposed agitation for
special investigation of military pre-
pardness. praised the strength and per-
sonne1 OF the navy and urged the Or
sanlZation of an army reserve.
ANY one may learn about our mil
itary or naval establishment by read
ing the reports of the secretaries of the
departments and the reports Of those
who are conducting the different
bureaus and branches of the SERVICE"
said the senator 1T is an open book to
all our citizens and there need be n
DOUBT about our relative position or u
capabilities IL n Is disposed to study
reports instead OF seeking notoriety in
the press.
I'm fact. there is and has been alto
sether too much publicity In such mat
ters. in my judgment. We have had q
demonstration during the present
European war of the value OF secrecy
IN conducting military operations Int
there is no reason why we should
spread what we are doing
or preparations We have made.
Would Protect War Plans.
Il have no doubt every European
country is Informed in the most minute
detail OF u condition both or and IND
sea and II any change in our methods
is to be made it should not be in the
direction of greater publicity, but
should be to protect u operations wen
I'm time of peace from scrutiny both
at home and abroad
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 military
establishments as great European
countries have lone and hi a general
agreement may be had which viii pro-
] q for mt least IA partial disarm-
ament." Senator Weeks maintained 1t
was the part of wisdom to consider
what course to follow in case such a re-
suit Should not come.
AT this time" he continued, "it does
not seem to me that it is wise or pru-
dent to take any action which will
change our policy or d to our naval
equipment except by an mnibu ap-
preparation which can be expended un-
der direction of u general board of the
navy and the president. Orr naval es-
Enlistment is in a class with thai of
Germany and France and probably sec
ond only to that of Great Britain"
Senator Weeks maintained that the
army was insufficient and proposed it's
reorganization not for the purpose OF
increasing the permanent active army.
but for the organization of a reserve
corps which would make available large
forces of trained soldiers at all times.
Likes Reserve Idea.
IF the military experts are right"
he said, that the country needs "a
force of 100000 trained men supple
mented by from 100000 to 200, 900
volunteers to give it a reasonable
hance of protection against a foe and
that the 800, 600 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 hat the moneys spent
on this defense are largely wasted
Through a reserve system Senator
Weeks maintained that a much larger
trained army could be maintained at
less expense than Il permanent stand
ing arny now.
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 in
fantry. field artillery, cavalry. en-
g%ineers. signal. sanitary troops, the
needed ammunition and supply trains.
and provide for properly equipped de-
pots.
The law must provide that the men
serve the shortest time with the colors
necessary to train them as soldiers, and
then pass them as soon as trained to Il
reserve and that while serving in his
reserve the men must be paid. Make
the enlistment age 10 to 81, with con-
sent of parents, and 25 as limit for first
enlistment"
In addition to the national reserve
force Senator Weeks would have a
similar reorganization under the militia
and urged laws to provide skilled mill
tary trainers for volunteers.