The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-07-29
SECOND LINE OF DEFENCE

plans for the strengthening Of the mil
itary establishment These will in
eluse a proposal that the regular army
be increased from about 10000 officers
and men to 10000 and that the state
militia be increased from about i20,-
000 officers and men 10 10000. If the
militia be considered as efficient, this
would give total trained fighting
force Of 100000 men. enough, il is
thought, for an adequate defensive
force. The cost of the federal military
arm is now a little over 100000, 900 a
year. The proposed increase will
raise II to sl40,O00,000 This does
not allow for the extra cost TO the
states of the additions to the militia.
This plan shows partial awakening
to the nations needs. Ii is very prob
able that Congress will lend willing
ear and give its sanction to some
scheme Of military preparedness. The
danger is that under the spur Of in
sistent public demand mistake may
be made and wrong course adopted
that will have to be retraced later
after heavy waste. II the United
States is really to embark on pro-
gram that means the ability to defend
itself against aggression from any
quarter, and not the maintenance Of
land forces sufficient merely to act as
police, or at best as a skirmish line
and vicarious sacrifice in actual war
with first-rate power, it should care
fully consider whether simply siren
gthening the regular army and state
militia in point of number will bring
the desired result.
In our opinion-worth only that Of
layman--such plan will not suffice.
Though commendable as move in the
right direction, it fails to give assur-
ance that in times Of stress, such as
we are seeing now in Europe, America
could meet the test. Anything short
of force sufficient to bring victory in
the event Of war is effort wasted, as
experience amply shows. Another
thing that experience, both here and
has shown is that money
and effort invsted in the national de-
fence have been we'll investd, and that
loss has rsulted only when it has been
neglected.
For fifty years we have been living
in FOOLS paradise. We have been
told over and over again that war was
4 thing of the past. Never again, it
was said, would enlightened nations
iraw the sword. Acting on this belief,
we have given but desultory attention
% military preparedness, especially on
and. Trusting ~ that there would
De no war; (2) that our navy would
protect US from foreign at
,ack. CD that we were too remote
rom strong foe for invasion, we
rave practically thrown down our
arms. While the American navy is
considered strong in most of its fac
,ors, and could easily be made suffic-
ent for all reasonable needs, our land
defence is but shadow With thous-
lnds of miles of seaboard to protect,
harbors and ports, the loss
If which would almost paralyze our
economic forces, we have inadequate
;hore defences, but partially armed
md well-nigh ungarrisoned. 1t
would be the easiest task imaginable
or any frst-rate power to launch an
expedition against our Atlantic, Gulf
" Pacific costs and seize base Even
'ur strongest Notifications, which
ould probably withstand lombard ;
,ardment from sea, are open to land
Ittack and our small and scattered {
orces could not assemble in strength I
0 prevent their early reduction. Once
established at, say Boston or Newport
r New York or aBltimore or Norfolk
r Charleston or Savannah or New
orleans or San Diego or San Francis
o or Seattle, with lines Of commune
alton intact, strong enemy could re-
nforce with trained troops faster than :
re could mobilize unframed ones, at
East for long time. Even were the
nal issue favorable, of which there is
o assurance, the loss would be i'm
We need stronger navy, especially
4 fast fighting vessels and efficient
ubmarines. We need also mare coast
efences, equipped with the latest i'm
roved devices. Further, we need
-ained and sufficient garrisons for ,
hem, with adequate reserves. Back A.,
{ all this, we need not only first line I
{ professional soldiery but a very {
4rge, well organized, well equipped {
nd reasonably well trained body of
ZEN for a second fighting line
The plan Of the war department, :
<cellent as far as it goes, stops short
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