The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-11
The Garrison and General stan De.
fence Plans.

ranged that the publication Of Secre-
tary GARRrsoN's proposals for an army
Of defence should precede the publ
cation Of the views Of the War College
Division Of the General STAFF Corps.
The two reports might have been pub
lished together. but the civilian Sec
rotary Of War wanted to have the
first word in an inevitable contro-
versy. So in his report. given to the
press in the morning, Mr. GARRISON
anticipated the plan Of the War Col.
lege Division which was to see the
light in the afternoon, and argued
that however satisfactory It was to
the professional mind, It was vision.
airy and impracticable.
The details Of Secretary GARRIsoN's
plan we're first published several days
ago in the form of a bill to be sub
mitted to the military committees Of
Congress. He would increase the
regular army, auxillaries included. to
14l, s43 enlisted men and officers. from
a present complement Of 1OS, OOS when
the ranks are full to reinforce the
regular army he would raise a volun-
teer or continental army las he calls
it, of 40O.0O men Mt the rate Of about
$4,000 a year. and train them two
months In each of three consecutive
years, these volunteers to be subject
to call to the colors during three more
years; he would have the Federal
Government make larger appropria-
lions for the National Guard to in
ems its efficiency.
To this plan the War College Di-
vision Of the General Staff would not
give Its approval. 1t proposes to in
crease the regular army to 100000
men and officers by a system Of en-
listment, two years with the colors
and six with the reserves. which in
eight years would result in approx
mately the following mobile forces at
home available Mt the outbreak of
war mobile regular troops COMBAT
anti with the %colors, $4,000 men :
the regular reserve. 370,OOO-a total
Of 100000" The War College Divi-
sion. contending that twelve months
intensive training is the minimum for
war service, further recommends that
100000 more troops SHOULD be pre-
pared to take the field Immediately
on the outbreak of war, and should
have had sufficient previous military
training to enable them to meet a
trained enemy within three months"
1t Is apparent that the War College
Division would consider n volunteer
force like the continental army unfit
to take its place in the second line of
defence, and but little more effective
than the militia. As ever n million
men might not save the country from
aggression, 1t Is still further recon-
mended that provision be made, un-
der the act Of Congress Of April %,
1914, to raise citizen armies to reen.
force the first and second lines.
The preparedness urged by the War
College Division Is based upon esti.
mates Of the number of men that
other Powers could land, or attempt
to land, on II coasts according ia
available ship capacity after We had
lost control of the sea. Thus 1t Is
set forth that Germany could olsen,
bark 1887 900 men In 1873 days and
100000 more in 30.8 days later
France 16O,931 and 243,295 respec'
lively; Japan 95,945 and ZAP, 500
Italy 8 1900 and 10000. The esti,
mate as to British potentiality was
made before the expansion Of hel
army and only one expedition Of no..
600 appears In the table. Therefore
the conclusion Is that the War Col
lege Divisions plan OF defence was
adjusted to the menace Of Germany
Obviously the number of troops re
qulred to deal with nm invasion by
any other Power would be much less
than a million men.
Secretary GARRISON says that his
proposal proceeds upon the basis Of