Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-11-12
PRESIDENT TELLS
PLAN OF DEFENSE
Summarizes His Program in a
Speech Before the Man.
haitian Club.
NATION MUST BE PREPARED
Increase Of Army, Training Of Citizen.
~ and More Rapid Building Up Of
Navy--Rebuke for Hyphen-
ated Americans.

New YORK, Nov. b.-Setting forth
his ideas OF what should be done In
the way of national military prepared
ness. President Wilson last night in an
address at the fiftieth anniversary din
nsr Of the Manhattan club asked for
support for the administration pro
gram.
Our ambition. said Mr.. Wilson. ls
not only to be free and prosperous
ourselves. but also to be the friend
and thoughtful partisan of those who
are free or who desire freedom the
world over We SHALL he declared he
believed. never again take another
foot OF territory by conquest, or seek
20 make an Independent people sub
tect TO our dominion. Because OF the
great European conflict, said the pres
fdent. from one end OF our own dea'
country TO the other men are asking
one another what our own force Is.
how far we are prepared to maintain
ourselves against any interference
with our action or development.
Though the mission OF America in
the world Is essentially mission Of
peace and good will among men. de-
clRred Mr.. Wilson. we feel Justified in
preparing ourselves to vindicate our
right to Independent and unmolested
action by making the force that is In
MS ready for assertion.
t. Plans for the Army.
And we know" continued the pres
ident. that we can do this in a way
that will be itself an illustration Of the
American spirit. In accordance With
our American traditions we want and
shall work for only an army adequate
10 the constant and legitimate uses OF
times OF international peace. But we
DO want to feel that there is great
body OF citizens who have received at
least the most rudimentary and neces-
sary forms OF military training; that
they win be ready to form themselves
into a lighting force at the call Of the
milton; and that the nation has the
munitions and supplies with which tc
equip them without delay should II be
necessary to call them. into action
We wish to supply them with the
training they need. and we think we
can do so without calling them at any
time too long away from their civilian
pursuits.
1T Is with this idea. with this con
ception in mind that the plans have
been made which II win be my priv
lege &c lay before the congress at III
next session. That plan calls for onl,
such an increase in the regular armJ
of the United States as experience hal
proved 70 be required for the perform
nnce OF the necessary duties n tn,
army IN the Philippines. In Hawaii. II
Porto Rico. upon the borders of tn
United States. at the coast fortifica
fions. and at the military posts of th'
interior. For the rest. Il calls for th'
training within the next three year
Of force OF 100000 citizen soldiers I,
be raised In annual contingents of 1873
900. who would be asked to enlist 70
three years with the colors and thre
years On furlough. but who durinI
their three years Of enlistment wit
the colors would not be organized a
a standing force but would he expect
cd merely 10 undergo intensive trair
ing for a very brief period of eac
year Their training would take plac
in immediate association with the OF
ganized units Of the regular army.
would have no touch of the amateu
about Il. neither would IL exact Of tn
volunteers more than they could Civ
IN any one year from their civilia
pursuits
And none Of this would be done /
such a way as in the slightest degre
IN supersede or,subordinate our pre-
ent serviceable and efficient Nation,
Guard. On the contrary, the Nation,
Guard itself would be used as a pa,
Of the fundamentally by which trai
ing would be given the citizens wi
enlisted under the new conditions. ar
should hope and expect that the lie
islation by which all this would be a
complished would put the Nation
Guard itself upon a better and mo
permanent footing than It has ev
been before.
For Development Of the Navy.
1T has been American policy tin
out Of mind TO look to the navy
the first and chief line Of defen,
The navy of the United States is
ready very great and efficient for,
Not rapidly. but slowly. with carei
attention. our naval force has be
developed until the navy of the Unit
States stands recognized as one of I
most efficient and notable of the m,