Evening star., 1915-01-24

biographies of the early American
naval commanders.
He has what is said to be the most
notable collection of American naval
prints extant. Secondhand book
stores and auction rooms are favorite
haunts of his when working on this
collection.
Ever since Mr. Roosevelt became as
siStant secretary of the navy the
country has heard at intervals from
him on the subject of naval reserve
from which to draw men in time of
need to man the fleet at war strength
Not long ago the first step in the crea-
tion of a naval reserve was taken
when, at the instance of Secretary
Daniels, bill was introduced in Con-
sress providing that enlisted men of
the navy, on completing their term of
enlistment, would pass to a reserve
subject to call when their services
were needed, they. in the meantime, to
keep in touch with the Navy Depart
ment.
This. however. is but one step Many
more need to be taken before complete
provision is made for that personnel
that would be required if war comes.
The fact must be taken into consider
alton that in any military organiza :
tion a great many trained men are
needed to round out the organization
who are not fighting men.
The Importance of efficiency in sup
plying any military force. whether it
be fighting on land or sea, is recog-
nized in this modern day more than
II has ever been recognized before. En-
perience has shown that an army or
navy which is well supplied with all
that it needs for its well being. with
its due proportion of all auxiliaries. is
the better army or navy.
The man behind the gun, naturally, )
the vital figure in all fighting. But
the man who supplies the man behind
the gun-and by supplying one means
all manner of supplies, from munitions
of war to foods just as important to
the winning of battles.
This is something which Mr.. Roose
Welt long ago realized. His ideas,
then, on the creation of a real reserve
for the navy are much more compre-
hensive than have heretofore been set
forth. 1t was in his talk as he stood
before the CRATE fire that he ella aborated
them freely.
In all discussion of the national de-
fense from exterior attack" he began,
I'VE must start with a full understand
ing that that defense naturally falls
into two branches: The defense at sea
by the navy and the defense on shore
by the army. But there also is middle
ground. a twilight zone, as 1t were, in
the matter Of coast defense, where it
is impossible to draw line of demar-
cation between the functions of the
navy and the army.
Hence the necessity for complete
and harmonious corporation between
all branches of defense in preparing
to do the work for which they were
created and in doing it. 1t is unfor-
tunate that in our system we have
never in the past realized the necessity
for that co-ooperation until after war
has begun.
only by cooperation in advance and
preparing plans in advance for a COM
prehensive scheme of defense, in which
both sea and land branches are involv-
ed can this or any other nation secure
from either branch anything approach
ing the maximum of efficiency. 1t is not
difficult to imagine the possible lines
of attack of an enemy approaching
these shores. And it ought not to he
hard to have each fighting unit,
whether of sea or land forces, trained
and instructed to precisely what it
should do in the event of an enemy
attempting to put into effect any one
of the several alternative plans of at
tack.
The wars in which the United States
has been engaged in the past have been
extraordinarily costly and have been
prolonged an unnecessary length of