The Washington herald., 1914-01-02
Army OF $4,000
STRONGLY URGED
Increase IN Official Strength
Favored by Infantry
Journal
MOBILE FORCES NEEDS
Have Been Neglected, 1t Is Declared,
in Favor Of Forti6catieas Along
the Seaeoast.
MOBILE FORCES NEEDS

Authorization for the increase of the
standing army of the United States to
ns.oO men. or 1900 more than its pres
ent authorized strength, is urged edi-
tortally in the current number of the
Infantry Journal the official organ of
that arm of the military service.
The Journal declares that the mobile
army-that is. the cavalry, infantry, and
Held artillery, have been neglected in Ia
vor of the Coast Artillery Corps. This
situation 1t ascribes to the popular fall
lacy that the construction of seacoast
Notifications at New York or San Fran
cisco insures those places from capture,
claiming that, because of the general be-
lief in the efficacy OF such works, the
country has been quite content to see
large part of its appropriations for ma
tional defense expended upon them.
THE necessity for an increase in the
mobile forces has been accentuated,"
the Journal asserts, "by the japanese
and Mexican questions, which have made
thinking men all over the country re-
alize that an adequate military force is
necessary, and that mobile army OF
900 men, our present available force
in the United States, is inadequate This
is evidenced by the attitude of the press,
which is devoting much attention to the
army and is taking broad view of the
nations needs in this respect. advocat-
ization."
Question of Cost.
The cost of the increase could be paid
without the appropriation of another ad-
uitional dollar. the Journal declares, II
Congress would permit the War Depart
ment to econcmize by authorizing the
abandonment of the useless army posts
which il is now Obliged to maintain at
high expense. 1t is estimated that Sl0.-
0oJ, coo could be saved annually II these
posts could be gotten rid of.
In support of their contention that the
American people are the victims of
faliacy regardin: the immunity of sea-
coast fortiications from capture, the
journal quoues Gen. Story, former chief
of the Colst Artillery, as follows:
The sole function of such fortifications
is TO defend a port against direct naval
attack. Against an enemy powerful
enough to Iand the coas fort has no de-
fensive value and may even prove an
element OF weakness, as did Port Arthur
TO Russia"
Commenting on this statement of the
function of cast defenses, the Journal
says:
''If we consider the extent Of our coast
line it will be evident at a glance that
no system cI forts which car be devised
will be of ths least avail to prevent an
Oh
most any point he may select Having
so landed. unless effectively opposed, he
cannot only march here he WILL but can
easily reduce such seacoast defense as
he desires from the rear and use these
for his own bases.
True Defense of Coasts.
'''rhe true defense of the coasts and
the final defense of the forts themselves,
lies with our mobile army, which must,
for a successful resistance to that OF our
enemy, be ready to oppose its attempt to
land upon our coast. Who for a moment
supposes that an attack upon New York
or San Francisco will be made directly
upon these ports? An army will land
on our coast far out Of reach OF the
coast defenses and march upon the forts
from landward. taking them and the
cities which they are constructed to pro-
tect.
THE conclusion is irresistible that an
immense amount of money has been
spent upon one important part of our
defensive system, while the other equally.
IL not more, important part of our de-
fensive system, namely, the mobile army.
has been SO neglected that it may be
said to be a negligible quantity