New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-28
Secretary Announces Plan
of Development Has
Been Completed.
WANTS PUBLIC
TO WAIT DETAILS
Premature Criticism of Parts
Unfair to Whole Project,
He SAYS.
prom The Tribune Rureau. |

lFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington, July o. Secretary OF
war Garrison spent the greater part of
to-day in going over the plans for army
development with General Hugh Scott,
Chief of Staff, and other of his official
J advisers. The broad outlines of the
projected improvements and enlarge
ment have been determined. Much re-
mains to be done in perfecting details.
The Department report is expected to
be ready for the President by August 1.
The Secretary is extremely anxious
that criticism be suspended until the
public can be informed of the whole
policy. Speculative accounts had been
published, he said, which were mislead-
ing and might tend to discredit the
work. His views arc set forth in
statement made public tonight.
81 am constantly being asked" says
Secretary Garrison, "to make state
ments, either about the military policy
as a whole or about some specific de-
tails. | have refrained, because | feel
that the effect at this time would be
more hurtful than helpful. There have
been published many unauthentic state
ments, and | feel that the effect Of
these has been hLrtful rather than
helpful.
Details Not Yet Completed.
"My reason for refusing to make any
] . l. T,,,r IL .L,s . l.o
policy has not yet been formulated
with its details sufficiently worked out
so as to be presented as a whole.
Whether it is acceptable depends upon
considering it in that aspect. Each
part of such policy is necessarily re-
lated to the other parts; and it is only
as a whole that it can be properly con
sidered. If some one or more of the
various parts are put forth separately
they might excite opposition which
would be entirely dissipated when con-
sidered with the whole plan.
81 believe II is a fact in art that
figure, such as the human figure, must
be proportional, if a correct represen-
tation is intended, to the distance from
which it is to be viewed. II . sculptor
wishes TO convey the impression of
life size he must know how high the
figure is to be placed before he can
know how to proportion 1t so that when
placed it will convey to the observer the
proper impression. If, under these cir
cumstances, he should make the mis-
take Of exhibiting the face of his figure,
or the arms or legs alone without the
pedestal or base on which it is 10 stand
there would be a great volume of add
verse criticism directed at the size of
the various parts exhibited; whereas, if
he waited until the base or pedestal
were completed and the statue placed
upon it, and the observer got the cor
rect impression, that which would have
otherwise caused the adverse comment
would be turned into affirmative ap-
prOval.
"To some extent this is the way in
which ! view the problem that we are
now studying; and until the various
parts are agreed upon, any discussion
would be premature.
Wants Peoples Cooperation.
81 feel that all sensible, patriotic
citizens wish TO see a wise. sensible,
practical, adequate military policy
agreed upon. We are working TO do
our part. If those who wish to see such
a policy adopted will devote themselves
/ " NllONll6 10 utNtSSiNg anu dDsAdili
from discussing details, the very best
possible results may be attained.
81 feel so strongly upon this subject
that | take the liberty Of asking every
earnest advocate Of a proper military
policy to devote himself as suggested
and TO abstain from pressing for de-
tails until the appropriate time has
come to give them"
The general board of the navy also
was in session, working on a report of
naval plans for Secretary Daniels, who
will confer with President Wilson as
soon as the latter returns TO Washing
ton. The navy board expects to meet
every day on the work.
Boston, July 27.-The Massachusetts
enrolment for the Plattsburg encamp-
mcnt, where business and professional
men receive months training TO fit
them as officers for a volunteer army
in case Of need, closed to-day with 2S5
names, mostly Harvard graduates, on
the list The volunteers will leave on
August 8.