The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-12-10

these purposes. There is universal
q agreement among all who know. that ar
tiHery is an essential feature Of modern
warfare, and that proper proportion
thereof to any army is Indispensable il
success is to he even hoped for. II Is
imperative that the manufacture Of ar
tilleTy and artillery ammunition should
progress as rapidly as is possible until
a proper reserve thereof has been OBJ
tanned.
For Aviation Cops.
In present-day strategy and tactics.
the aviation corps has bid fair to be-
come the eyes of the army. and a gen.
eraI commanding an army without an
adequate flying corps against an army
of equal strength in other respects, but
with an adequate flying corps, would be
in the position of blind man contend
ing against a man with sight. The pres
ent Congress made a good start toward
putting aviation on substantial basis.
This work should be followed up and
consistently pressed.
After reviewing the military strength
of the principal nations, which shows
the United States to have a total
trained war strength" OF only ZZo.OVV
men, including the organized militia ana
the Philippine scouts, Secretary Car
rison says in part:
W ndleNET FlSt may pAOPtAAs &c
drawn from the facts as disclosed, it
cannot be disputed that IL is imperative
tnat we have in this country very
mpch larger percentage OF men who
have had proper military training and
who are IN a position TO instantly re-
spcnd to the call of the nation.
'Of the troops that we now have, the
numbers and organizations OF which are
shown above, IL will be necessary in the
very near future to take from the
United States and put in the Philippine
Islands thirteen companies Of Coast
Artillery. $50 men; in the Hawaiian
Islands three regiments of Infantry,
one battalion of Field Artillery. and two
companies Of Coast Artillery, 6,312 men:
and in the Panama Canal Zone, one
regiment of Infantry, one squadron of
Cavalry. one battalion Of Field Artil-
lery. one company of Engineers. and
twelve companies of Coast Artillery.
4-76 men. Il may say in this connec-
ton that l do not consider the Panama
garrison sufficient. even when these
contemplated additions are made.) This
will then leave in the United States
I.roper I261O Coast Artillery troops and
q sO2 Of the mobile arm. the latter be
iEs, then not much more than twice the
size Of the police force OF the city Of
New York.
Need Now $4,000 Men.
My recommendation of what we
should Immediately do is TO fill up the
existing organizations which compose
The aggregate mobile army force just
mentioned to their full strength. This
would require 5000 men. In addition
10 the enlisted men just mentioned. we
should be authorized TO obtain loo
more officers
Secretary Garrison advocates using
the army rs a school through which 10
1ass short-term enlistment men. who
nav be discharged at any time after
year or eighteen months, thus begin
ming the work OF building up a reserve
aud accomplishing "something Ike a
balanced organization" He deprecated
unfortunate opposition" TO the plan.
which he highly recommended. In con-
clusiOn the Secretary said:
] am therefore firmly convinced thai
We should have immediate legislation
dealing with the matter OF enlistment
and reserve. / am not so much con-
"cruoG with the length of the enlist
nenr provided the Secretary OF Wer
/ IS given power To discharge into the
reserve. ~ the end Of twelve months.
those who have shown Themselves pro-
I acieat 10 % required standard.
For Proper Reserve.
\ practically similar provision should
exist IN every State which maintains
an organized militia. It is Just as essen
-iaI that the organized militia should
have 2 proper reserve to II! UP lis
ranks ~ Il Is that the regular army
should. Of course. I have been visWiT 2
this IN the light Of its military ncces-
sity. BIT there is a nOnC0mmitant adj
vantage which should not he overlooked.
Inquiry among those who have en-
pIyyen mon who have been 6:scha-g'-.
win good records from the army show
that They esteem them as among their
very best employees: and there Is 10
I doubt that any community would be
cconOultcaIIT benefited o p the presence
( in il OF strong. vigorous young men
who have learned. in the only schoo!
I which really teaChes-that IS. expert
,.cr-fhe qualities OF self-COntrOl. ObeGi-
eucc 70 discipline. and determination 10
carry out tho task which has been set
for one
! am convinced with equal nrmness
that We should adopt som" one or
more OF the methods which have been
suggested for the training of more
civilians TO become officers in case of
necessity. The pOteutiality Of The stu
dent military camps and OF the schools
and colleges at which military training
is obtainablc suggests a fruitful source
Of accomplishing this purpose.
AS To Expense.
realize that ole Of tho matters
which VIII be much debated in connec-
ton with this whole subject will be
the matter Of expense : 10 not over