The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-12-10

1O2, 1856 enlisted men of all services to a
strength of 7,136 officers and 134,707 en-
listed men, or 141,843 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 squadrons, besides $50 Off
GERS required for great variety OF extra
service, especially the all-important duty
of training the citizen force of which
shall presently speak, 1872 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 neces-
sary to render the army adequate for its
present duties, duties which 1t has to
perform not only upon our own CONT
mental coasts and borders and at our in
terror army posts, but also in the Phil
ippines. 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 larger scale, should
occasion arise, the plan also contemplates
experimenting the army by force of
100000 disciplined citizens, raised in incre-
ments of 133.00G a year throughout PEI
riod 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-
tionaI "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 oil
annual training would not necessarily ex'
coed two months in the year.
| 1t would depend upon the patriotic feel
| ing of the younger men of the country
| whether they responded to such cal
to service or not. 1t would depend upor
| the patriotic spirit of the employers o.
the country whether they made It posi-
BILE for the younger men in their EN-
| ploy to respond under favorable condi
/ tions or not. l, for one, do not doub
the patriotic devotion either of our youns
men or of those who give them employ
/ ment-those for whose benefit and protec
ton they would in fact enlist. woul'
look forward to the success of such al
| 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 d
less.
Program for the Navy.
The program to be laid before you con
templates the construction within fiv
years of 10 battleships, battle cruis
ers, 10 scout cruisers, so destroyers,
fleet submarines, IS coast submarines
ffoI CHI frx,
ammunition ships. two fuel-oil ships an
one repair ship. 1t is proposed that c
this number we shall the first year pre-
vide for the construction of two battle
ships, two battle cruisers. three scou
cruisers, Is destroyers, five fleet subms
rines, % coast submarines, two gunboatl
and one hospital ship; the second yea
two battleships. one scout cruiser tie
destroyers. four fleet submarines. Is Goa:
submarines, one gunboat. and one fue
oil ship; the third year, two battleship
| one battle cruiser, two scout cruisers, nv
destroyers, two fleet submarines, and
coast submarines; the fourth year, tw
battleships, two battle cruisers, tw
scout cruisers, ten destroyers, two flee
| submarines, 10 coast submarines, one an
munition ship. and one fuel-oil ship; an
the fifth year, two battleships, one bait
cruiser, two scout cruisers. ten destroy
ers, two fleet submarines, Is coast subms
rines, one gunboat. one ammunition shi
| and one repair ship.
The secretary of the navy is askin
; also for the immediate addition to Il
personnel of the navy of $500 sailor
2.500 apprentice seamen, and $500 marine
, This increase would be sufficient to cal
for the ships which are to be complete
] within the fiscal year 1917 and also fl
the number of men which must be put
training to man the ships which will
J completed early in 1918. It is also nece
: sary that the number OF midshlpmen
r the naval academy at Annapolis shou
i be increased by at least 800 in order tn
I the force of officers should be more ra
| idly added to: and authority is asked
appoint for engineering duties only. a
r | proved graduates of engineering college
and for service in the aviation corps
} certain number of men taken from ely
life.
z this full program should be CARR,
out we should have built or building
! 1921, according to the estimates of survi
i | al and standards of classification follow
\ | by the general board of the departmer
e an effective navy consisting of q battl
: Ships of the first line. six battle cruiser
r Is battleships of the second line, ten a
q | mored cruisers, 13 scout cruisers, fl
3 ffrst-class cruisers, three second-cla
cruisers, ten third-class cruisers, l0S d
2 troyers, Is fleet submarines, 15T coast su
/ marines, six monitors, 20 gunboats, TO
| supply ships Is fuel ships. four tran
. ports. three tenders to torpedo vesse
I eight vessels of special types, and II
5 ammunition ships. This would be a ma
I fitted TO our needs and worthy of o
: traditions.
Trade and Shipping.
e But armies and instruments of war a
e only part of what has to be consider
d II we are to consider the supreme matt
h of national self-sutficiency and securi
: in all ITS aspects. There are other gre
+ matters which will be thrust upon our {
e tention whether we will or not. The
n is, for example, u very pressing questi
of trade and shipping involved In Il
e great problem of national adequacy.
n is necessary for many weighty reasons