The Washington herald., 1914-11-22
Gen. Wotherspoon' S Report.

these parts, the former chief of stan
maintained, and he recommended the
strength Of the regular army be In
creased to 205.00o enlisted men.
Gen. wotherspoon said there was need
for greater forces to protect the rear
approaches to American coast defenses
and those points not covered BY for
tresses. His suggestion for meeting this
situation was the organization Of the
militia to a strength OF 10000 men, He
said:
Careful consideration Of our needs
would indicate the advisability and ne
cessity for having at all times available
at home and. in addition to the necessi-
ties in our foreign possessions, in the
first line OF our military establishment a
mobile force OF at least 10000 thor
oughly trained and thoroughly equipped
fighting men, with adequate supplies for
the operation Of this force for a period Of
at least six months. This is a conclu-
sion that seems to have been reached by
| all those who have given careful con-
sideration to this question.
1T is also agreed that we should have
as a second line a thoroughly equipped
and trained force OF organized militia OF
not less than 10000 men, properly pro-
| portIoned as to its stan and several
arms. with stores and supplies necessary
for its operation in the field for a like Pc
riod. The smaller units of the standing
army and the corresponding units OF the
organized militia must manifestly be or
ganized into the higher units OF brigades
| and divisions and be susceptible OF as
sembIy for drill and field exercises. for
without such organization and power OF
assembly the troops themselves. not to
| speak OF the higher commanders, would
be without that experience which is es-
sential to effective operation In war"
With no reference TO the present gi-
gantic struggle which shakes all Europe
| and the rest OF the world and without
| apologies TO opponents OF so-called
| ''militarism." Gen. Wotherspoon outlines
the plan through which he would double
| the present regular army and create the
| reserve. which at present in the United
States is a name only. The enlisted men
would serve a short term with the colors
| ana would then pass on into the reserves
| for periods OF from fve years to a
| greater number of years. being at all
times. while pursuing peaceful callings
under obligation to respond in case OF
| national need.
! Assuming the report continues. the
| adoption Of a short term OF enlistment
| say three years-for the passage of the
men thoroughly trained in the school OF
the regular. or standing army. into the
reserve. and that men so trained should
|
longer period than five years. it would
! appear that the size OF the regular or
| standing army to be used as a school
| for the training of reservists, should be
about 9J6.OOO enlisted men.
IF from such an army. organized on
| a basis OF three years training, We dis
charge yearly that increment below the
I grade Of sergeant which had completed
its three years training We would have.
Nhg At In
| the first year of its complete operation
an army of 26S.7 100 COS. 900 plus $500 re-
seFves): in the second year an army OF
| 322 400 COS 600 plus III. 400 reserves: in the
third year an army of 3s1.l C2oo,OoO plus
| 1900 reserves): in the fourth year an
army Of 5000 C205.00O plus 234.sOO re-
servesl: in the fifth year an army Of 49,
| 30 C205.O00 plus 29S50O reserves). After
! this the army would be maintained at
! the last figure, and in addition We would
be accommodating trained men in the sec
Ond reserve at the rate OF about 5000
! each year"
Citing the need of increased armed
forces, Gen. wotherspoon says 'it IS
manifest that the great waterway Of the
| Panama Canal cannot be protected
against the operations OF a first-class
military power by the present or pro-
posed garrison we contemplate placing
/
! re-enforce It rapidly from the United
| States"
Regarding the defenses of the Philip
pines. Alaska and Hawaiian Islands, the
former chief OF stan says:
THAT an effective defense against an
enterprising enemy in the Philippines
could be made with a deficiency of q per
| cent of the manning details of the coast
defenses OF Manila and Subig Bay. and
with a mobile force Of little over 1000
American troops. supplemented by less
than 6,000 Philippine scouts. is manifestly
impossible; that We can retain our valua-
bic territory of Alaska in its isolated po-
sition against an enemy with any mill
tary power by placing there a garrison
of less than 500 men verges on the ridicu-
| lous, unless we have ample forces at
! home to occupy that territory in the very
earliest stages OF an impending conflict.
LAS regards the Hawaiian Islands, all
military persons will recognize that the
proposed garrison in this possession is
far below what II should be to meet a
serious attack unless, in this case again.
we have an adequate force on the Pacific
Coast ready to dispatch to the islands
when trouble Is impending. 1t must
therefore be frankly admitted that the
present garrisons OF these outlying pos
sessions are entirely inadequate for the
purpose for which they have been sent
there, and that without a material
change in conditions at homo we have no
available resources from which to re-en-
force them even should time be given to
US to do so. As the Philippines are too
distant from the United States to be re-
enforced when war Is impending. 1t
would seem necessary that the garrison
Of those islands should be at least a full
manning detail for the coast artillery de-
fenses and one complete division at full
! war strength plus the necessary admins
| trative stan. AS to our other outlying
possessions, 1t may be said that the gar
risons proposed for those possessions,
with the exception Of Alaska, may be
considered adequate only under the con-
| tingency that we have available In the
United States suficient thoroughly train
ed troops in excess of our home needs to
warrant US in heavily reinforcing. the
peace garrisons."
without discussing the power Of the
feet to protect the United States from
| overseas invasion, Gen. Wotherspoon
points out the need of more forces to
defend the rear approaches to coast de-
fenses and to defnd the land from inva-
sion at innumerable points not covered
by coast defense guns.
Gen. wotherspoon emphasizes that the
proposed system Is economical in the
highest degree, as the reserve officers
, and men would receive pay only during
their active service and on being called
| to the colors, the period being spent in
| the reserves involving no expense in the
way Of emoluments.
He adds that he aces no reason phv the