Evening star., 1914-12-10
SAYS 1t Would Be Unmistak-
able Folly for U. S. to Be-
come EnfeebIed.
ANNUAL REPORT DEALS
WITH PRESENT SITUATION
Recommendations Also Made for
Future and Plan Is Offered
for Military Reserve.

! Whatever the future may hold" says
Secretary Garrison of the War Depart
fnent, in his annual report, lin the way
lot agreements between nations, fol-
lowed by actual disarmament thereof.
OF international courts of arbitration
and other greatly to be desired meas
ures to lessen or prevent conflict be-
tween nation and nation, we all know
that at present these conditions are not
existing. We can and will eagerly
adapt ourselves to each benevolent de-
velopment along these lines, but to
merely enfeeble ourselves in the mean
time would, in my view. be unmistak
able folly. BY neglectlg and refusing
to provide ourselves with the necessary
means of self-protection and self-de-
fense we could not hasten or in any
way favorably influence the ultimate
results we desire in these respects.
What, then, does this nation need in
the way of military preparedness? or
course, am not attempting to lay down
a counsel of perfection-that is. an eX-
tensive scheme which is ideal in its
completeness. Such a scheme might
| well be considered and studied and
adopted after long study. But to await
| the result of such course would be
to continue the undesirable situation
in which we have SO long been. In
my view. it is much better to do those
things which lie nearest at hand and
can be done than to remain as we are.
without moving along proper lines until
a more comprehensive and perfect
scheme can be agreed upon. Nothing
done along the lines / am about to
suggest will interfere with the carry
maturely developed plan, but. on the
contrary, will fit into it exactly"
Recommends Larger Army.
To meet admitted existing deficiencies
Secretary Garrison recommended that
the United States Army be Immediately
recruited to it's full war strength.
| which would mean the addition of 25.-
900 men and 1000 officers. Such an in
crease would give the regular army
total of about 10000 men, of whom
| $4,000 would be available as a mobile
| fighting force in the continental United
States The present mobile strength of
1000, the Secretary points out soon
| will be cut to half by additions to
the garrisons in the Canal Zone. Ha-
waii and the PHILIPPINES.
In addition to Strengthening the reg
| ular establishment, the Secretary urges
that steps be taken at once to create
misses as impracticable talk of imIne-
diate disarmament, and as groundleSs
fears of militarism in the United
States, and recommends military pre-
vigilance is the price which must be
paid in order to obtain the desirable
| things of life and to defend them
Present Full War Strength.
| The present full war strength of the
United States is summarized by the re-
| port as follows:
The organized militia of the va
rious states totals $3.50 officers and
119,0S7 men. If all of the national
guard could be summoned in the event
of war and should all respond (an incon.
ceivable result), and if they were, all
found fairly efficient in the first line
| that is, the troops who would De ex-
pected to Immediately take the field
try of regulars and national guard
amounting to ISIS officers and 49,
1872 men. (This would include only
regulars of fighting force stationed in
the United States proper)
And this is absolutely all. The only
other recourse would then be volun-
teers. and to equip organize, tram ana
ke them ready would take. at the
smallest possible estimate. six months.
ANY one who takes the slightest
trouble to investigate will find that in
modern warfare prepared enemy
would progress SO far on the way to
success IN SIX montnS, IL ms dHldSo-
mist had to wait six months to meet
him. that such unprepared antagonist
might as we'll concede defeat without
contest"
OF the efficiency of the present army
Mr. Garrison says:
Surpasses Other Countries.
while our existing organization is
of the exceedingly small numbers al
ready mentioned, it is unquestionably
in as excellent condition as any SINH