Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-10

Continued from Page One.)
were all found fairly efficient In the front
line-that Is. the troops who would be
expected TO immediately take the field
we could summon a force In this country
OF regulars and national guard amount
ing Ia. 9,sls officers and 1882 men. (This
would include only regulars OF fighting
force stationed In, the United States
proper.
SIX Months 90 Equip,
And this is absolutely ALL The only
other recourse would then be volunteers,
and TO equip. organize, train and make
them ready would take, as the smallest
possible estimate, six months.
Anyone who takes the slightest trouble
TO Investigate will find that in modern
warfare prepared enemy would pro-
gress 30 far on the way TO success In six
months, II his ANTAGONIST had to wait six
months 10 meet bim. that such unpre.
pared antagonist might as well concede
defeat without contest"
OF the efficiency OF the present army
Mr.. Garrison says.
While our existing organization ia Of
tho exceedingly small numbers already
maintained. II In unquesuonabIy in AZ
excellent condition as any similar num-
ber of men In any other. military estat-
lishment In the world. Were is not for.
a desire 70 avoid inyidious comparisons
I shodld say that mnn for man. II IL bet-
ter than any similar existing military
establishment In the world. e,&t
Peace Not Always Possible.
1T Is, Of course, not necessary to dwell
on the blessings Of peace and the horrors
Of war; he says. EVERY one desires
peace, Just as every one a6slres health.
eontentmesit affection, sufficient means
Tor comfortable existence ana okher SINH
lariy benefieient things Butspeace ana
the other states OF being Just mentioned
are not always or even often solely
within ones own controi
NO reasonable person In this country
today has tho slightest shadow OF fear
OF military despotlsm, nor OF any inter-
ference whatever by military force IN
the conduct Of civil affairs. 4 ii
Our Actual sNeeds.
What. then, does this nation need In
the way of military preparedness? In
my view. Il Ia much better 20 do those
things which lie nearest at hand and can
be done than to remain as we are. with
out moving slopg propeE lines untll
more comprehensive and perfect scheme
can be agreed upon"
The report says the total atrenatb of
the army June 30. 1914. was o.. .Ase. 'Of this
number $500 were available as a mobile
fcrce in continental United states. the
rest )being employed in tho Phinpp,nes.
Hawaii Or the Canal Zone. or con,prJkinr
hospital, qnartermaster or other auxIl,ar-S
services. In the near future. the report
states, additional forces will ba sent 70
the Canal Zone and elsewhere. reducing
the mobile force on the continent. exclu.
sive of coast artillery, to s4eOO men. E,ven
with the increased force there. Secretary
Garrison declares, the Panama garrison
VIII be Inadequate In his opinion.
Resources Insufficient.
or war material the report saws,
we have on hand in, reserve sufficient
small arms. small arm ammunition ana
equipment. roughly figuring. for the soo
w men that would have to be called into
the field In any large emergency we
have nothing like sufficient artillery ana
artillery ammunition.
IN present day strategy and tactics
the aviation corps has bid fair 10 ne
come the eyes OF the army, ana a reneral
commanding an army without an 49,
quate flying corps against an army ~
equal strength In other respeeta., but WITH
an adequate flying corps would be In the
position OF a blind man contendinR asain.t
a man with sight. The present conrress
made good start toward putting ayia-
ton on a substantial basis. This .v,o,.,,
should be followed up and consistently