Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1915-12-10
NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS IS Theme
OF PRESIDENT Wilson's MESSAGE
Regular Army Of 14l,843, Supplemented by Force Of 100000
Trained Citizens Is Urged-erayest Menace to the Peace
Of the Country Comes from DdOyal FOreign-BOrn
C%hzens-Plan for Larger Navy Outlined.

It's present strength Of 5.O2s officers and
iO2.9 S5 enlisted men Of all services to a
strength OF Z,136 officers and i.7O7 en-
listed men, or 1n.S43, all told. all serv-
ices, rank and file, by the addition OF 50
companies OF coast artillery, IS com
panies OF engineers. ten regiments OF In
fantry, four regiments OF field artillery.
and four aero s%quadrons, besides 80 on
GERS required for a great variety Of extra
service. especially the all-important duty
Of training the citizen force OF which I
shall presently speak, 72 non-commis-
stoned officers for service In drill. recruit
ing and the like. and the necessary quota
OF enlisted men for the quartermaster
corps. the hospital corps, the ordnance
department and other similar auxiliary
services. These are the additions neees-
sary to render the army adequate for its
present duties, duties which II has to
perform not only upon our own CONT
mental coasts and borders and at our in
terior army posts, but also in the Phil
ipplnes. In the Hawaiian Islands. at the
isthmus. and in Porto Rico.
Force Of Trained Citizens.
BY way OF making the country ready
to assert some part OF its real power
promptly and upon a larger scale, should
occasion arise. the plan also contemplates
experimenting the army by a force OF
10000 disciplined citizens, raised In incre-
ments of $4,000 a year throughout a pc
Rod OF three years. This It is proposed
TO do by a process OF enlistment under
which the serviceable men Of the coun-
try would be asked to bind themselves to
serve with the colors for purposes OF
training for short periods throughout
three years. and to come to the colors
at call at any time throughout an addi-
tional '%furlough" period of three years.
This force of 100000 men would be pro-
vided with personal accoutrements as fast
as enlisted and their equipment for the
field made ready to be supplied at any
time. They would be assembled for train
ing at stated intervals at convenient
places in association with suitable units
of the regular army. Their period OF
annual training would not necessarily ex-
coed two months in the year.
It would depend upon the patriotic feel
ing OF the younger men Of the country
whether they responded to such a call
to service or not. 1t would depend upon
the patriotic spirit of the employers of
the country whether they made II possi-
BILE for the younger men in their en-
ploy to respond under favorable condi-
tions or not. /, for one, do not doubt
the patriotic devotion either OF our young
men or OF those who give them employ
m~ent-those for whose benefit and protec-
ton they would in fact enlist. / would
look forward to the success OF such an
experiment with entire confidence.
At least so much by way OF prepare
ton for defense seems to me to be alb
solutely imperative now. We cannot dc
less.
Program for the Navy.
The program to be laid before you con
templates the construction within five
years of 10 battleships, s battle cruis-
ers, 10 scout cruisers, so destroyers. II
feet submarines, IS coast submarines
four gunboats, one hospital ship, two
ammunition ships, two fuel-oil ships and
one repair ship. II is proposed hat OF
this number we shall the first year pro
vide for the construction Of two battle
ships. two battle cruisers, three scouI
cruisers, Is d~estroyers, five feet subma
rines, 25 coast submarines, two %gunbOats
and one hospital ship; the second year
two battleships, one scout cruiser, tel
destroyers. four fleet submarines, Is coas
submarines. one gunboat, and one fuel
oil ship; the third year. two battleships
one battle cruiser, two scout cruisers, NV
destrOyers, two fleet submarines, and /
coast submarines; the fourth year, tw'
b~attleships. two battle cruisers, twt
scout cruisers. ten destroyers, two flee
submarines, Is coast submarines. one am
munition ship, and one fuel-oil ship; ant
the fifth year. two ba%ttleships, one BATH
cruiser, two scout cruisers. ten destroy
1 GLIB NMO hl9k 2abAAANAA vs. ~ 111 111NNs
/, rines, one gunboat, one ammunition shil
! and one repair ship.
, The secretary OF the navy 10 askinl
! also for the immediate addition TO tn
personnel OF the navy Of 1850 sailors
, $500 apprentice seamen. and 1900 marines
! This increase would be sufficient to car
for the ships which are TO be complete
within the fiscal year 1917 and also 10
the number of men which must be put !
8 training to man the ships which will b
q completed early in 1918. 1t Is also neces
= sary that the number OF midshlpmen o
r the naval academy at Annapolis shoul
n be Increased by at least 800 in order ths
the force OF officers should be more RAJ
. idly added to: and authority Is asked
appoint for engineering duties only, al
y proved graduates of engineering college,
and for service in the aviation corps
n certain number Of men taken from civ
! life.
Is II this full program should be carrie
IS out we should have built or building
y 1921. according to the stimate OF survi'
d al n standards OF classification followe
n by the general board Of the department
le an effective navy consisting OF q battl
ships of the first line, six battle cruiser
ir 25 battleships Of the second line. ten a
mored cruisers. 10 scout cruisers, IN
10 hrst-class cruisers, three ~second-clai
cruisers, ten third-class cruisers, Jos d
e troyers, IS fleet submarines, l5l coast su'
n marines, six monitors. 20 %gunboats, fol
e. supply ships. IS fuel ships, four tran
Y. ports, three tenders to torpedo vessel
at eight vessels OF special types, and ~
Is ammunitio ships, This would be a nan
r. fitted TO our needs and worthy OF o.
IL traditions.
Trade and Shipping.
ne But armies and instruments Of war a
re only part OF what has TO be consider
90 If We are to consider the supreme matt
20 OF national self-suficiency and securi
T. in all its aspects. There are other gre
u matters which will be thrust upon our q
ne tention whether we win or not. The
m is. for example. a very pressing quesul
OF trade and shipping involved In d
he great problem Of national adequacy.
m Is necessary for many weighty reasons