The Washington herald., 1914-01-12
BIfARMY BUDGET
NOW IS ASSURED
House Bill Asking Increase in
Estimates Will Be Re-
ported Soon.
WAR SCARE RESPONSIBLE
Appeal of Mr.. Garrison and Gen.
Wood Makes Congress Realize
Urgent Necessity.

me uHpTSpareuuc6S OF the Onite0
States Army has been forcibiy brought
TO the attention Of Congress The Secre-
tary OF War, Lindley N. Garrison, and
the Chief of STAFF of the Army, Maj. Gen.
Wood, made mary astounding statements
to the House Committee on Military Az
fairs during the hearings on the army
appropriation bill which have Just been
competed.
Prediction of defeat for the American
army. IL we have war within four years,
Is the only .clusion that can be
drawn by military strategists from their
testimony. The Secretary and Maj. Gen.
wo, first told the committee what was
wrong with the army and then sug-
gested a remedy.
As "a result of the testimony a big
jump in the size of this years appro-
priation for the army is expected. The
Secretary Of War has greatly increased
his estimates and Is confident the COM
mittee will see fit to pass favorably upon
nea9ly every item. The bill itself will
probably be ready for consideration by |
tn House some time before the end of
the month.
Report Expected shortly.
Representative Hay, of Virginia. chair |
said yesterday the bill would be re-
ported to the House just as soon as there
was probability Of its immediate con-
sideration. He declined to comment on
the statements Of Secretary Garrison and
Ma. Gen. Wood and refused to intimate
what action the committee would take
regarding the recommendations.
Particular emphasis is placed upon this
nation's responsibility attendant on the
nearing completion of the Panama Canal
Both Secretary Garrison and Maj. Gen.
Wood center all of their recommended
tons about the canal and cite its ad-
6itional responsibilities as the reason for
our present unpreparedness either fo!'
offensive o. defensive war
"In the event Of war, landing party
of small dimensions could explode a
comparatively small amount of explosive
where any locks and dams are, SO that
they would completely destroy SS75.ooo.o0
worth of work that is a tremendous COM
mercial and military asset"
This is the startling statement Of Secre-
tary of War Garrison. made to the House
Military Committee regarding the mill
tary protection of the Panama Canal
He said there should be more than 5000
troops on the Canal Zone today. There
are but LOO. He said also that this
nation should have a garrison of $500 ,
men in the Hawaiian Islands There are
SIS than 1900 soldiers in Hawaii. Mr..
Garrison pleaded that il hi sent 1000
men out of the country or army re-
manning at home would be ar too small c
for its necessary work ever in time Of 7
peace. He advocates raisils the au- v
thorized strength from sSSO men to \
10, ,oco.
F Need of Panama Iorce.
I've must send 5000 men to Panama v
a he in, time nfl o
war is rumorsd. Nowadays C
R nation will give no notice of attack. 5
The japanese gave the Russians no no.
tice. While diplomacy is dealing with {
disputes, We must do moth S
ing that will indicate that We expect b
any other than a peaceful conclusion of G
those troubles. We could not make S
military movement. If we sent men to 7
the canal then, it would be said that We @
we're not acting in good faith. To hold G
the zone We must have the men there all h
the time, ready for anything. r
The army is far too small for the h
work il is expected to do. smaller than ,
could possibly be conceived as an often
sive or defensive force in the extremity n
of actual hostilities. 1 have made recon-
nendations for an increase and for a 6
;reat quantity of arms and ammunition" :
To have the garrisons at Panama and
Hawaii thoroughly trained in the de-
ense of their stations. the Secretary of
War recommends that full regiments, :
-ecruited to their war strength, be sta
ioned there. This, he asserts, would
prevent decentralization in time of stress,
because of the intrusion of unframed
men.
ITO send our troops into war as they
re today would be absolute slaughter"
aid Mai. Gen. Wood, Chief of Staff of
he army.
I'VE have neither; sufficient field artil-
cry nor ammunition. We are absolutely
The army has been trying
o accumulate 1,2s2 field guns Of various
but today We have less than half1
Z that number. 1t would be suicide to
tempt to repel an invading army of n
,o0oo men with less than 100 guns No
alton would invade the United States
Mess it had an army of this size. We
eed 1.so0 rounds of ammunition for each NJ
un. We have but half that amount on c
and. W.
Can't Wait for Guns. I'm
The fire of modern field artillery is so in
eadly that troops cannot advance within pl