Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1915-11-12
PLA ANS FOR DEFENSE
president WILSON STATES TH1
PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM
OF ADMINISTRATION.
ASK S SUPPORT OF NATION

In speech Before Manhattan Club
Chief Executive Tells How Army
eho uid BE Enlarged and Navy De.
v loped for Protection Of America.
New York. Nov. 5.-What President
Wilson and his administration are
planning in the way of a larger army
and navy for the adequate protection
of the United States was summarized
by the chief executive last night in q
speech at the fiftieth anniversary Of
the Manhattan club.
Our ambition, said Mr.. Wilson, is
not only to be free and prosperous
ourselves. but also to be the friend
and thoughtful partisan of those who
are free or who desire freedom the
world over. We shall. he declared he
believed, never again take another
foot Of territory by conquest, Oh seek
to make an independent people sub
ject to IL dominion. Because of the
great European conflict, said the PES.
iden&, from n end Of u W dear
country to she other men are asking
one another what our own force is,
how far we r prepared to maintain
o~urselve0 against any interference
with our action or development"
Though the mission Of America in
the world is essentially a mission of
pea 90 and good will among men, de.
clared Mr.. Wilson. we feel justified in
preparing ourselves to vindicate our
right to Independent and unmolested
US ready for assertion.
Plans for the Army.
"And we know" continued the pres
fdent, that we can do this in a way
that will be itself an illustration of the
American spirit. In accordance with
our American traditions we want and
shall work for only an army adequate
to the constant and legitimate uses Of
do went to feel that there is a great
body of citize0s who have received at
least the most ~rudimentary and neces-
sary forms of military training; that
they will be ready to form themselves
into a fighting force at the call of the
nation; and that the nation has the
munitions and supplies with which to
equip them without delay should It be
necessary to call them into action
We wish to supply them with the
training they need. and we think we
a do so without calling them at any
time too long away from their civilian
pursuits.
1T 10 with this idea, with this con
ception in mind that the plans have
been made which 1t will be my privi
lege to lay before the congress at Its
next session. That plan calls for only
such an increase in the regular army
of the United States as experience has
proved to be required for the perform
M e of the necessary duties of tht
ar my in the Philippines. in Hawaii. II
Porto Rico. upon the borders of ths
United States, at the coast fortified
tions, and at the military posts of tn,
interior. For the rest, It calls for tn,
training within the next three years
of a force of 400, 900 citizen soldiers {,
be raised in annual contingents OF 1873,
600, who would be asked to enlist TO
three years with the colors and thre'
years on furlough, but who durin,
their three years OF enlistment witt
the colors would not be organized a
a standing force but would be expect
ed merely to undergo intensive train
ing for a very brief period of eacI
year. Their training would take plac
In immediate association with the OF
ganized units of the regular army.
would have no touch of the amateu
about It. neither would It exact of tn
volunteers more than they could Civ
I'm any one year from their civilia
pursuits.
"And o Of this would be done 1
such a way as in the slightest degre
to supersede or subordinate our pre-,
emit ~serviceable and efficient Nations
Guard. On the contrary. the Nations
Guard itself would be used as a pa,
or the fundamentally by which trait
ing would be given the citizens VIII
enlisted under the new conditions. an
] should hope and expect that the LEI
islation by which all this would be a
complished would put the Nation,
Guard itself upon a better and mo,
permanent footing than 1t has ev,
been before. giving 1t not only the re
ognition which 1t deserves but a moi
definite connection with the milital
organization Of the nation.
For Development Of the Navy.
1T has been American policy tin
out of mind to look to the navy
the first and chief line of defens
The navy of the United States is {
ready a very great and efficient fore
Not rapidly. but slowly. with caref
attention, our naval force has be,
developed until the navy of the Unit,
States stands recognized as one of Il
most efficient and notable of the me