The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-18
Welcome His Suggestion Of Investiga-
ton Into Our Unpreparedness for War
Real Fighting Strength of Country

en0eavOfln8, through lnelr repofto w
Congress, to throw a public eearchlight
upon the condition OF the navy. and
more particularly Of the army.
1t 10 an axiom OF international rela-
tons that wars result from the conflict
OF policies. The United States has sew
eral policies which. because of their
conflict with the interests OF other ma
tons. are a constant invitation to chal-
| lenge. Among these policies so long
established AZ to be practically fixed
American institutions are the principle
OF forming no entanslins alliances. the
Monroe Doctrine. which has recently
been interpreted a. meaning, among
other thinSs. tho determination to Sc
cure to the other peoples of this CONT
mont tho right to control their own af-
fairs; the open door for trade in the
Ear East; the exclusion Of Chinese.
Japanese and other Asiatio immigrants
from the continental territories OF the
United States, and the exclusive mill
tary control Of the Panama Canal and
It's contiguous waters.
Bach of these policies, with tho pos
sible exception Of the first, Ia contrary
TO the interests of one or moro OF the
great Powers of the world both on the
East and on the West Some OF these
policies are each year growing less and
less acceptable to the nations most af-
fected, and many observers believe that
these policies will remain unchallengel
only 30 long as the United States Gov
eminent Is able TO satisfy the world that
II not only intends TO but can main
tain them by force. No military ex-
pert in this country now believes that
the United States is thus prepared.
Mexico has now at least 80 per cent
more armed and veteran soldiers thar
the United States, and 1t has a great
many more field guns adequately sup.
Piled with ammunition. General villa
has more cavalry under his comma nc
than there Is in the entire United State,
army and militia.
Tho United States navy now rank
third. after Great Britain and Germany
with France and Japan next in order
and with the probability that the United
States will sink to fourth or f1fth plac,
II France and Japan adhere to their
present programme and the United
States does not make up for it's recent
slackening OF battleship construction
The United States navy, however, 1.
lacking in men properly to man IN,
ships already built. 1t IL lacking II
reserve supplies OF ammunition and II 1:
lacking In torpedoes.
Though the requirements OF the stu
alton in Mexico during the last eighteen
months have considerably demoralizeC
the work Of the navy II Ia undoubtedl,
| M
-, ton OF the deficiencies named, a gen
eral efficiency which Is unsurpassed ant
IL in size able 20 cope with any but III
, British and German fleets on more thar
equal terms. II is true also that tn
= standard adopted some years ago by
the general board, namely that Their,
should be fleet OF forty-eight battle
ships by 1920. has been wofully neg
lected and is now impossible OF attain
. ment. In fact through the number o.
, battleships becoming obsolete from age
the real fighting strength OF the navy
has Increased but little in recent year,
except as the newer ships are muci
more powerful than the old.
Far different Is the situation with
, respect to the land derences of tho
United States. with the exception OF the
forts which guard our harbors, ant
even these forts have barely enough
men to operate the guns. The plan:
Of the General Stan OF the army 10,
resisting an invasion OF the United
States call for a force OF some 100000
men. which It is estimated will b,
needed the moment the first foreign
soldier sets foot upon United State,
soil. The United States has not one.
quarter Of this number Of soldiers avail
able either IN active service or In re.
serve.
The authorities declare that Il woult
require at least six months. and NOR,
probably year. to put into the field
this number OF men trained ant
equipped for their task. In Other
words, once foreign expedition were
landed on our shores II would be many
months before the American peopl,
could offer any resistance likely q
match tho strength that on invader
would be certain TO have at the mo
ment Of landing.
The United States actually has $500
soldiers in the regular army, OF whom
only $4,000 are now in the United Statel
or will be in a year 10 come and o
these $4,000 one-quarter are required
for the coast defences and cannot b.
included in the mobile army which II
the force which must be counted upoI
TO meet an invader
No one doubts that plenty of Ameri
cans will volunteer to fight when II be
comes necessary and In six months o
year they can be trained for thei
duty. But field guns such as the arm
les in Europe are using. cannot be oh
tanned in that short period. The def
cheney in artillery Is so great that a
the factories and aTsenals in the coun
try could not remedy II II they worke
full time for two years. nor could the
in one year provide an adequate suppl
OF ammunition for the artillery alread
in existence.
The proper equipment OF field gun
for the necessary force OF 100000 me
for the defense OF the United States
1,292 guns The United States nov
possesses n grand total, in the regula
army and with the militia. of 235 gum
which have been described as the mos
miscellaneous collection Of field artller
in existence With the exception of IN
immohile guns mounted in the coast de
fences, which cannot even he swun
around to defend the forts against Ian
attack, the United States army has n
guns whatever to compare with III