Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-19
WOTHERsPOON DEPICTS
ALARMING CONDITIONS
Hc Asks That Regular Army
Be Increased to Double
Present Size.
WANTS. BIG RESERVE FORCE
Outlines Plan Whereby Powerful
Army May BE Secured on
Economical Basis.

'd'lbE that ~ WOULD DC ln1pOSSiDle 10
defend the Panama Canal aud -Imeri-
can territorial possessions against at
tack Win present or proposed garri-
sons unless they could be rapidly re-
inforccd. Major.,;cneral Wotherspoon,
retired chief Of staff. in his report to-
daX recommended The increase of tho
regular army TO strength of 100000
enlisted mon. lie proposed that that
force could he augmented. through a
system of reserves. until there was
created mobile strength of 100000
! first line troops equipped for six
months campaign.
General Wotherspoon said there was
need for moro forces to protect rear
| approaches TO American coast defenses.
F. and those points not covered by fort
resses. and urged that the organized
{, militia be developed to strength OF
| 100000 men
! "Tt IL manifest General Wother-
I spoon asserted. that the great water
! way Of the Panama Canal cannot be
! protected against the. operations of "a
] first st-class military power by the pres
! cnt or proposed garrison VIC contem-
{ plate placing there without the power
/ and ability to reinforce it rapidly from
/ tho United states.
EFFECTIvE DEFENSE
| WOULD BE: IMPOSSIBLE
Tina; an effective defense against
/ an cnterprisirg enemy In the Philip
! pines could he made wittS a deficiency
! OF IS per cent of the manning details
/ OF the coast defenses OF Manila and
] Subig Hay, and with IA mobile force Of
1 a little over 1000 American troops sup
I plenentcd bys-lcssS than g, 900 8 Philips
! pine scouts, is manifestly impossible;
| that we can retain oUr valuable terri
| tory of Alaska in Its isolated position
| against an enemy with any milftar.
power by placing there garrison Of
! less than 800 men vergcs on the ridicu-
| lous unless We have ample forces at
home TO occupy that territory In the
| very earliest stages of an impending
| conflict. AS regards the Hawaiian Is
| lands. all military persons Will recog-
nize that the proposed garrison in this
possession is far below what II should
be to meet a serious attack.
Outlining his view of the army's
first line requirements. General Woth-
erspoon said:
Careful consideration of our needs
WOULD indicate the advisablitY aud
necessity for having At all times avail
able at home and, in addition to the
necessities in our foreign possessions
I'm the first line OF our military cstab-
500 thorouShiy trained and thoroughly
equipped fighting men, with adequate
supplies for the operation of this force
for period OF at least six months.
This is = conclusion that seems to
have been reached by all those who
have given careful consideration OF
this question. II is also agreed that
we should have as second line a
thoroughly equipped and trained force
OF organized militia Of not less than
ri mr. nnrfin in.lN6
to Its staff and several arms with
stores and supplies necessary for it's
operation in tho field for n like pc
riod"
WOULD DOUBLE STRENGTH
OF REGULAR ARMY
General wotherspoon outlined the
plan through which he would double
create the reserve. The enlisted men
would serve Il short term with the
colors, then pass into the reserves for
periods of five or moro years being
1T all times under obligations TO re-
spond In case of national need
s,"Assuning, the report continues.
the adoption of a short term of en-
listmcnt-sny three years--tor- the
passage of the mcn thoroughly trained
In the school Of the regular or stand
ihs army. INTO the reserve, and that
men so trained should not bo held in |
tne first reserve for longer period |,
than i've years, II would appear that |
the size of the regular. or standing, |
army. TO he used rs school for the |
training OF rcscrvists, should be about /
100000 enlisted men.
IF from such an army. organized o, !
"a basis OF three cars traiitiuis, we dis |
rharsr yearly that Increment below
the grade of sergeant which had COM
pleteI It's three years training. we
would have, with due allowance for |
dca tbs. etc. In the first year of it's COM !
plcto operation an army OF .63.10O |
C3or.O0n plus $500 rescrves): in the |
second year an army Of 2a2,Aoo (2Oj.-
900 plus l1l,ll0 reserves. In the third !
year aii army OF 3si,1o0 f205,OO0 plus |
l1S,lo0 rcserves), in the fuorth year
on army OF 4Sa,S0o t205,000 plus o3t,-
500 reservcs). In the lifth year an army /
OF issSoO l2o5,ooO plus $4,000 re- |
be maintained 1T the last figure. and. |
In addition. we would bc accommodating /
trained men iii the second reserve ut |
the rate Of about $4,000 each year
HE SEES ECONOMY
IN PROPOSED SYSTEM |
General Wothcrspoons contcnded that |!
the proposed system would he Geo
nomical tnasmuch as tho reserve Of 4,
ficers and men would receive pay cnly I!
during their active service and on
ncing called to tho colors He added !
that he saw no reason why tho same |
princinlc as to reserves should not be !
applied to tho organized militia. In
that connection, however, ,l,c said: "Tt (
must be admitted that unless there lie |
~ material change In the laws govern.
ing the organized militia. which will !
bring about n greater reliance upon
and an increase control by tho gov /
crnment, that branch OF our military |
establishment cannot hc regarded and !
depended upon as a reliable force
1