The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-19
u. S. Army and Navy Store
Away Their Tactics.
State Journal Correspondent
Writes of Vaults in Capitol.
CAREFULLY LAID SCHEMES
Matters of Defense and Offense
Are Planned Out.
European War Watched Closely
by U. S. Strategists.
(By L. william Thavis, State Journal
Correspondent

(By l.. William Thavis, State Journal
Correspondent.)
Washington, D. c., Feb. 10
Stored away in the vaults of the army
and navy departments today are secret
plans for war. These show just what
moves this country would make in
event of hostilities against our shores.
Every possible plan of approach of an
enemy has been considered and with
1t has been evolved by the military
strategists a method for meeting such
an attack.
Not until the recent agitation over
national security was it known that
this nation is prepared for war in the
sense of having such carefully laid
schemes of defence and offence AS
sistant Secretary of the Navy Roose-
felt himself disclosed one of the Sc
crets when he indicated that fully
$4,000 more men would have to be
added to the navy, if a foreign power
were to make war on this nation. But
for the most part the views of, and
the strategy of the military planners is
guarded with jealous care.
Colleges of War.
Back of all these confidential war
moves lies two great organizations
the army and navy war colleges Their
fleet have developed these war ideas
TO a nicely, which officials believe
would stand the nation in good stead
in case of actual practice instead or
theory. The relation between the
game boards" and the actual fleet
operation in the navy, for instance,
has been admittedly weak in recent
months. But the navy department
has turned it's attention to making
these problems of attack and defense
aS nnSSihlc To this end
work is now under way to make the
relations between the theorists and the
admirals and captains closer and more
practical.
L. S. ..Gamc 3oaid.''
The game board is Just what it's
name significs-a huge board on
which the game of destruction is
played by men trained to the arts of
death.
The United States navy is repre-
scented by miniature ships of a certain
color. The ships of an enemy are
designated by another color. They
are moved around like chessmen, but
the elements of mathematical calcu-
lation, of unerring accuracy, of navy
strategy enter into every move
ment. One tactical mistake may de-
stroy the miniature United States fleet.
To err on the game board is serious
buslness-for it means that the man
in charge might do the same, were
gle.
Then to make the board play more
realistic, the intricate problems sug-
gested by the board are transferred
10 the commanders of the dread
noughts. There. those ideas are put
into actual practice when nianeuvers
are possible.
Benefit From Europe.
Problems suggested by the naval
encounters of the European war have
been transferred to the game board
so that Americas strategists may
benefit from the spectacular feats of
British and American vessels alike.
And the army, too, works out ma
neuvers along the same line. Both
of the military colleges develop Of
ficers in all the tricks of the trade
For instance, these colleges have de-
veloped-in theory, at least-that a
battle fleet from Europe might ap-
proach Americas shores, halt at a
distance fully GOO miles from New
York. and then send out over the
waves an air craft loaded with bombs
to drop on Americas metropolis.
In these colleges officers of both
services are given the benefit of a
world training in strategy. They are
taught to go the other fellow one bet
ter. And the training is invaluable.
officials contend. Rear Admiral Fisk
Is authority for the statement that
Germany's war planning is RESPONSE
BILE for vessels from Kiaochow and
their subsequent sally into CHILEAN
waters, where they sank two vessels
larger than themselves
Such an escape he believes. was de-
veloped by the wonderful strategists
war planners of the German en-
pire-long before the war broke out.
Then. too. he believes that superior
skill was responsible for the German
victory against two larger vessels-a
feat unparalleled in naval annals.
And America has taken a leaf from
Germany'S book. She has laid he1
plans carefully and thoroughly, and II
war comes no move can be made bx
an enemy. which is not already an.
ticipated in those secret papers that
repose under lock and key in the
great granite building of the war and
navy branches.