Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-11-12
PLANS FOR DEFENSE
PRESIDENT WILSON STATES THE
PREPAREDNESS PROGRAM
OF ADMINISTRATION.
ASKS SUPPORT OF NATION

In Speech Before Manhattan Club
Chief Executive Tells How Army
Should Be Enlarged and Navy De-
Veloped 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 a
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, or seek
to make an independent people sub
ject to our dominion. Because of the
great European conflict, said the pres
ident, from one end Of our own dear
country to the other men are asking
one another what our W force is,
how far we are prepared to maintain
ourselves against any interference
with our action or development"
Though the mission of America in
the world is essentially a mission of
peace and good will among men, de-
clared Mr.. Wilson, we feel justified In
preparing ourselves to vindicate our
right to independent and unmolested
action by making the force that is in
us ready for assertion.
Plans for the Army.
And we know" continued the pres
ident, 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 an6
shall work for only an army adequate
to the constant and legitimate uses o.
times Of international peace. But We
do want to feel that there is a greaI
body Of citizens who have received a.
| least the most ~rudimentary and neces
sary forms of military training; thai
they will be ready to form themselves
into a fighting force at the call OF thu
nation; and that the nation has thu
munitions and supplies with which t
equip them without delay should it b
necessary to call them into action
We wish to supply them with thu
training they need, and we think w
can do 30 without calling them at an!
time too long away from their civilian
pursuits.
1T is with this idea, with this con
ception in mind that the plans hav'
been made which it will be my priv
lege to lay before the congress at IT
next session. That plan calls for onl.
such an increase in the regular arm,
Of the United States as experience ha'
proved to be required for the perform
ance Of the necessary duties Of tn
army in the Philippines. in Hawaii, II
Porto Rico, upon the borders of tn,
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 year
Of a force Of 1000 citizen soldiers t
be raised in annual %contingents OF 1873
900, who would be asked to enlist fc
three years with the colors and tire
years on f%urlough, but who durini
their three years of enlistment wit
the colors would not be organized a
a standing force but would be expect
ed merely to undergo intensive trair
ing for a very brief period of eae'
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
in any one year from their civilia
pursuits.
"And none of this would be done /
such a way as in The slightest degre
to supersede or subordinate our pref
ent serviceable and efficient Nationa
Guard. On the contrary, the Nationa
Guard itself would be used as a par
of the instrumentality by which trail
ing would be given the citizens VIII
enlisted under the new conditions, an
| should hope and expect that the LEI
islation by which oil this would be a,
complished would put the Nations
Guard itself upon a better and NOR
permanent footing than 1t has eve
been before, giving it not only the re,
ognition which it deserves but a NOR
definite connection with the militar
organization of the nation.
For Development Of the Navy.
1T has been American policy tim
out of mind to look to the navy a
the first and chief line of defens,
The navy of the United States is a
ready a very great and efficient fore,
Not rapidly. but slowly, with carefl
attention, Il naval force has bee
developed until the navy of the Unite
States stands recognized as one of tn
most efficient and notable of the nc,