Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-10
Mobile Force Of $4,000.


In its Recommendations for the reeu-
iar army the report contemplates a mo-
bile force of $4,000 men with the colors
in continental United States. a7ooo
coast artillery, with reserves to bring
the corps up to 10000; one reinforced
division in the Philippines, one division
In the Hawaiian Islands and one in
Panama
The report reviews the situation in
continental United States to show thar
because OF geographical conditions mo-
pie FORCES must. be maintained in each
t or me Pnget sound. California. Allan
three are described as the Critical
a>eas.' Puget sound should have. if is
stated, one division, of troops, less the
divisional cavalry. and brigade of
and the north Atlantic states one di
vision and brigade. of cavalry each:
tine middle west. division less its
cavalry and a, brigade of cavalry. Two
Mexican border.
Under this distribution there would
be $4,000 regulars OF all arms on over
seas service and $4,000 in the United
the colors of 100000 men and officers.
Adding non -combatant forces neces-
sary, grand total OF Isl, 900 is reached
for the standing army.
"Americans Must Measure Up"
! Cnsparing in hfssargun entss in>answer
to those who would have no increase in
the countrySsi military preparedness,
Secretary Garrison declares that the
American people must view their re-
sponsi bilities and measures UP to them,
and then goes on to. take up the va
rious arguments of the opposition sep
arately.
/ There are some who do not feel free
to base their conduct upon a considera-
ttton of facts ;or,.cdhclusions Of reason,
because of their Interpretation of di-
vine Injunction he says. They do not
| believe in resistance to physical force,
and those whose consciences are SO con-
! WINGED surrender life and all that they
| cherish and live at the behest of the
aggressor This attitude concerns the
individual, and him alone. 1t cannot be
made the general rule Of conduct under
our form of government without de-
parting from the basis upon which our
government Is founded. It would seem,
lif reason were applied. that In each in
stance the situation Is identical, and
that ii we should properly prepare our
minds to be strong SO that we can re-
ject error. and our moral characters to
be strong so that We can reject evil.
we should likewise make our physical
force strong in order. that we may
maintain the right as against those |
who would physically impose the wrong
upon us.
There are others concerning whose
clarity of vision we are not advised |
and concerning whose soundness of |
reason are not Informed. because |
the attitude which they take is adj |
mittedly not based upon either vision |
or reason They are those who predict |
that war will never come to this coun- |
try, and assert that therefore precau- |
fz. t,nr ytgl
and needless. Since wars have come |
upon nations from the earliest date of |
recorded history to this moment, there |
is no basis of fact for such position. |
but an actual demonstration of the |
non-existence of such basis.
Would Prevent Militarism.
THE eyes OF many are blinded to the
fact and their. minds closed to reason
by an adherence Of what they term
militarism,' without any actual con-
ception of just what this means or how
it should affect the proper considera-
ton Of the subject. Thos who really
fear militarism, or. more accurately
stated, those who dread real militarism.
should be the strongest advocates of
| req sonable preparation. The latter is
| the preventive of militarism If they
| unwisely defeat reasonable prepared
| ness they leave the country in con-
dition where the inevitable result of
defeat, humiliation or acute apprehen-
| sion will be hasty and ill-advised pro-
| visions as to armament far beyond
anything which calm reason and wise
provision would deem necessary
| There will be those who assert that
the proposed policy opposes the ira
| ditions Of the people and runs counter
| thereto. This is mere assertion; 1t Is
not the fact. and in truth the fact Is
| to the contrary. The proposed policy
Is exactly in keeping with our tradi-
| tions.
| .There will also be those who will
express regret that the policy hereto
| fore pursued-of lack OF proper mill
tary precautions--is to be departed
from because it has been invaluable as
an example to the rest or the world,
and we should not remedy the lack be-
cause we would then cease to be such
an example. It should be observed
first in considering this point Of view
that 1t entirely overlooks the vital and
Imperative duty to ourselves which re-
ouires that we should protect and de-
fend that which we cherish and hold
dear, Furthermore, It overlooks the
fact that although we nave been Just
the example that they desire through
| ont the more than century and a
quarter of our existence, the results
| existing in the world today do not war;
| rant the belief that our example has
had any beneficial effect
| '"There are some who decry taking
any precautions or making any prepa-
nation because they say 1t will not pre-
| vent war, but will provoke it. Men
and nations must prepare to meet their
IresponsibiIities. II 1t 10 inadvisable