New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-18
What the Country Really Needs II
the Wav of an Army.

In his sreech az the Republican Club on Satur-
day Secretary Garrison amplifed TO some extent
the recommendations which he made In his recent
annual report He said that the country needs
as first line Of defence an army Of from 35o'ooo
N 100000 men Most Of this strength would be-
Of course. in the regular army reserve, since 1t Is
the Secrctary's idea that the regular establish
,nept does not need to be enlarged much above Its
present legal limit Of 100000. But the creation
Of a genuine, efficient reserve of 25OOoO TO
100000 men is, in his opinion, the essential feat
ure Of anv rational scheme of army reorganiza-
ton.
It is not surprising to find Mr.. Garrison, whose
ideas on military policy are always intelligent and
practical cutting away from the theory that 'he
limited States can afford 70 depend for protec-
ton on its "citizenry," hurriedly summoned 70
arms. That is the theory which has proved SO
costly in all the wars Of the past. An adequate
trained army, available at the beginning OF
war. is worth much more for military purposes
than an army two three times its size recruited
in disorder and not available until six months or
year after hostilides have begun.
As the conduct of war has become largely
matter Of scientific organization and the QUICK
assembling Of vast resources. preparedness counts
more heavily than it ever did before II we had
20 meet an invader capable Of landing good
sized army on coasts the success or failure OF
the invasion would probably be determined within
three months Some of our cities would certainly
fall into the hands Of the enemy If we had lost
control Of the sea. since the mobile army now
81 ~ +afa mil
zations. could not be concentrated in sufficient
strength at any point 10 repel well conducted
attack. We might create vast armies later and
recover the ground lost. But practically all the
damage which we have 70 fear from foreign in
vasion would have been done by that time
The only way to guard against the probable
disasters of a war with first class military
mower. whose feet is capable Of defeating our
fleet is TO create an adequate first line army.
That is not the work of single year There
fore Mr. Garrison aims at getting first, an add
ton TO the regular army Of $4,000 men and 1,OOO
officers. Then he wants TO make start at estab-
fishing a real reserve, which will grow as men
from the regular service are shifted into it after
short enlistments Material must also be accu-
mulated with which to fit out the reserve in case
of emergency. But material easily be ac-
ouired while the reserve is forming.
The Secretary has had the good judgment TO
insist on the short term of enlistment as the best
means of increasing our military efficiency. If
the regular army is used a training school, and
men with an interest in military life can quit
after they have learned the business Of soldier
ing the stock of available reserves will be quickly
multiplied The long term enlistment is good
only for the purposes of a small standing army.
and Congress has chung TO it only because 1t mis-
takenly thought that il was rejecting public SEN
timent in keeping the army small and cutting 1t
off from contact with the community in general.
How much it is cut off is shown by the fact that
the present army has thrown off a reserve Of
just sixteen men.
That vicious, old-fashioned idea Of segregation
must be fought if Mr.. Garrison's plans are to
bear fruit He has brought responsiveness and
common sense TO the administration Of the War
Department, and there is no reason why Congress
should not follow his recommendations. He is
discreet enough not 20 try TO accomplish too much
at one stroke but nevertheless he has in view
that very radical reconstruction Of the military
system which is absolutely needed to guarantee
our national security.