Evening star., 1915-07-28
Secretary OF WAR
EXPLAINS SILENCE
Will Not Discuss National De-
tense Till Plans Are
Completed.
PREMATURE DISCUSSION
VIEWED AS UNDESIRABLE
Army Reorganization Program Will
Be Laid Before President Will
son Next Week.


gram of national defense now being
formulated will not be given out until
completed. That is made clear in
statement issued by Secretary Garrison,
in which he urged that he be not press
ed for details until the new military
policy is ready to be laid before the
public.
Fears that adverse criticism Of parts
Of the scheme might endanger 1t as
whole Is given as the reason by secre-
tary Garrison. He said that no had re-
Trained from discussing the subject be-
cause he felt that the effect would be
more likely to do harm than good
Plans for the reorganization of the
army. now being worked out py tne
general staff, will be laid before Presi-
dent Wilson next week by the Secre-
tary.
Unauthentic Statements Hurtful. :.
"I have absolutely refrained from
making any statements" said Secretary
Garrison, because l feel that the ef-
feet thereof at this time would be more
hurtful than helpful. There have been
published many unauthentic statements
of what is in contemplation. and feel
that the effect of these has been hurt-
full rather than helpful.
MY reason for refusing to make any
thing public at this time is that the
policy has not yet been formulated
with it's details sufficiently worked OUT
so as to make it possible to present ~
as whole depends upon considering
it in that aspect. Each part of such a
policy Is necessarily related TO the
other parts; and it is only as a Whole
that it can be properly presented and
the various parts are put forth sepa-
|rately and debated and discussed, they
might excite opposition which would
be entirely dissipated II not turned
into approval when considered in con-
nection with the whole plan.
The Artist and the Statue.
"I believe it is a fact in art that
figure, such as the human figure. must
be proportioned, if correct repre-
sentation is intended. to the distance
from which 1t is to be viewed. II
sculptor wishes to convey the impress
sion of a life-sized figure he must
know how high in the air the ngure Is
to be placed before he can know now
to proportion it SO that when placed IL
will convey to the observer the impress
sion of life size. If. under these cir
cumstances, he should make the mis-
take Of exhibiting the face Of his figure
or the arms or legs alone without the
pedestal or base on which 1t is 10
stand. there would be a great volume
of adverse criticism directed at the size
of the various parts exhibited; where-
as if he waited until the base or ped
estal were completed and the statue
placed upon it and the observer got
the correct impression. that wnlch
would have otherwise caused the adj
verse comment would be turned into
Affirmative approval.
Relations of Parts Of Program.
TO some extent. II not completely.
this is the way in which I view the
problem that we are now studying;
and until the various parts are not
only agreed upon as to their own fea-
lures, but also in relation to the other
necessary parts, any discussion would
be premature and much more likely
to do harm than good.
II feel that all sensible. patriotic
citizens wish to see wise. sensible,
practical. adequate military policy pro-
posed and agreed upon. We are work.
ing to do our part toward that end.
We are only hampered by premature
discussion of specific details which can
only be properly considered in relation
wish to see proper policy adopted
will devote themselves to showing the
necessity of such proper policy, and
abstain from discussing its details un-
the very best possible results may be
attained.
II feel so strongly upon this subject
that take the liberty of asking every
| earnest advocate Of proper military
policy to devote himself as suggested
and to abstain from pressing for de-
tails until the appropriate time has
come to give them"