Evening journal., 1914-12-16
WAR Preparedness
Of THE COUNTRY
MilitariStS Say Standing
Army Must be Raised and
Reserve Force Organized
NEED STRONGER
COAST DEFENSES
BY BURTON X. STANDISH.
written for the United Press.

WASHINGTON Dec. 16.-"Are we
prepared to dght?" This question,
with interest stirred in Il by the war
abroad, promises to develop into one
of the biggest issues before the coun-
try during the next year Tho aiten-
tion of Congress during the present
session Will be centered on IL much
Of the time.
While the advocates OF bigger and
better army and navy are cquipping
themselves with heavy supplies Of
data to show that the United States
would be hopelessly weak If attacked
by one of the world powers the anti
militarists arc arming themselves
with information TO back up their con-
tention that further preparedness for
war would be undesirable and un-
necessary.
The paciicists will admit that our
preparedness is not TO be compared
with that OF other great nations but
they will argue that with the rest of
the world embroiled in the greatest
war of history all our rivals will be
so exhausted by fighting that they
would not dare 10 attack us for years
TO come This fact, along with the
natural defense constituted by our
geographical isolation, gives us ample
protection, the peace men will con-
tend.
The case OF the militarists was
voiced in detail by General w. w.
Wotherspoon ex-chief of staff of the
army, in his annual report just issued.
He summarized our military situation
thus: We could not defend the Pan
anna Canal. We could not defend the
Philippines, or Alaska, or Hawaii, or
any other of our insular possessions.
Our coast dcfenses arc lamentably in
adequate. We could not concentrate
a sufficient force to repel an invasion
by first class lighting power.
Here Is the remedy: Raise the regu-
lar or standing army from its present
strength of $4,000 men to 205. 900.
Create first line of reserves Of 500,-
600. thoroughly equipped and trained.
Establish a second reserve of 100000
men.
General Wotherspoon does not go
to the length of advocating compul-
sorry military service but he says
this; "In any scheme to create such
force of mobile troops. we cannot
do better than to follow the example
of the master minds i'm military or
ganization for national defense. The
policies developed in this direction
all include. among others. the prim-
airy plan of using the standing army
as a school for training of men who,
on graduation from that school, pass
| into the reserve and constitute the
! 4.
Many ant-militarists, however, will
agree with General Witherspoon that
there is urgent need for reorganization
of the State militia. Agitation has beer
long under way for change in the laws
governing the militia which will, bring
greater reliance upon and an Increased
control by the national government
Until this is done. authorities declare
the militia cannot be regarded as de
pendable branch of our military
strength.
The modification of the law proposed
is to place Tie militia under pay Of the
nationai government and under binding
obligation to serve at its call. This, il
is thought, would produce a State o
affairs whore the militia would be mucl
more thoroughly trained than under. cN
listing laws. and to that extent can b,
more thoroughly depended upon
The actual number of men availabl
in our coast defenscs artillery is l4,O0
or 10000 less than the number esti
mated TO be necessary to man the dc
fenscs. II is contcnded that the offcnsc
are so few and far apart as TO offc
an invading army a large choice ai
landing places along our coast. Ex
perts are now asserting that tn,
latest type of super-dreadnought Will
its armament OF fifteen inch guns
could stand off at sea and batter oui
coast forts TO pieces while the shells
from our fourteen inch defense gum
would fall harmlessly in the waite
1000 yards short of their mark.
We have Jagged far behind ali ou
rivals in military aeronautics. IL 4
also pointed out The army has M
armored autos, and no motor tractor
for artillery. Il is charged All thes
things will be thoroughly thresho'
out if the Congressional inquiry. ad
vocated by Congressman Gardner. o
. Massachusetts, is ordered
To the charge of weakness OF ou
navy il will be answered that W
have built building or authorized
fifteen dreadnoughts, with at leas
two more likely to be authorized a
the present session OF Congress. TIL
last four dreadnoughts authorizes
will be the largest in the world. Tn
small navy members of Congress vii
point out that our program is ampl
enough while the navies of German
of Great Britain, the only two large
than our own navy. are engaged d
destroying each other