Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1915-01-09
SECRET PLAnS.fOn
WAR STORED AWAY
If War Be Declared We Are Prepar-
pared to Meet All Attacks
r Is said.
BY BURTON K. STANDiSH.


navy departments today are secret
jlans for war These show Just what
owes this country would make il
went o. hostilities against our
norcs. Every possible plan Of ap
preach OF an enemy has been con
0ercd, and with it has been evolve"
y the military strategists mc>ho
or meeting such an attack.
Not until tic recent agitation owe.
:atiOnal security was it known thai
his nation is prepared for war, in
he sense Of having such carefully
aid schemes Of defense and offensc
'ssistant Secretary Of Navy Roose
welt himself disclosed one Of til,
secrets when he indicated that fully
T0.c00 more men would have to b
added to the navy, if a foreign pow
II were to make on this nation. But
for the most part, the views Of and
Cne strategy Of the military plannel !;
is guarded with jealous care.
Back of all these confidential wa
moves lies two great organizations
the army and navy va" colleges
Their game boards" in conjunction
with the fleet have developed these
war ideas to nicely which officials
ablieVe would stand the nations in
GOOD stead in case OF actual pra ctice
instead Of treory. The relation b.
tween ire game boards" and the az
tUal fleet operation, in the navy 70
instance, has been admittedly veal
in recent months. But the navy de
pArtment has turned its attention t.
making these problems OF attack an
!ofenSc as practical as possible +
this end, work is now under way
to make the relations between thu
heorists and the admirals and cap
ainsc loser and more practical.
The game board" is. just wrat
played by men trained to the arts
Of death.
The United States navy is reDre
cntcd by miniature ships Of a certain
color. The ships OF an cncmy ar
designed by another color. They ara
moved around like chess men. but the
elements Of mathematical calcula-
ton, OF Unerring accuracy of naval
strategy enter into every movement
| one tactical mistake may DESTROY
them mature United States fleet To
err on the game board is serious bus
ness--fOr it means that the men il
crarge might do the same were re
engaged in a life and dv,:th struggle
Then make the board play more
realistic, the intricate problem sug-
gestcd by the board are transferred
TO commanders Of the big dread
thoughts. There, these ideas are pu'
into actual practice when roaneuvers
are possible.
Problems suggested by the naval
encounters Of the European war
nave been transferred to the game
board so that Americas strategists
may benefit from the spectacular de-
feats Of British and German vessels
alike.
And the army, too, works out man
euvers along the same line. Both
OF the military colleges develop off
GERS in all the tricks of the trade.r
For instance, these colleges. have de-
vclOped--in theory at least-that a
battlefield from Europe might ap-
prOach Americas shores. halt at a
distance Of fully 900 miles from New
York, and then send out over the
waves an aircraft loaded with bombs
to drop on Americas metropolis.
In these colleges officers of both
services are given the benefits of a
world training in strategy. They are
taught to go to the other fellow one
better And the training is invalu-
"ble, officials contend. Rear Admiral
F,ske is authority for the statement
that Germany's war planning is re.
sDonsible for the remarkable escape