The Holly chieftain., 1915-12-10


tinized and discussed. They seem TO me
the essential first steps. and they seem
to me for the present sufficient
They contemplate an Increase of the
standing force of the regular army from
its present strength of 5,023 officers and
.9s5 enlisted men of all services to a
strength of 7.I36 officers and 1874 707 en-
listed men. or l4l.S43. all told, all serv-
ices. rank and file. by the addition of 81
companies of coast artillery, Is COM
panies of engineers. ten regiments of in
fantry, four regiments of field artillery.
and four aero squadrons. besides $50 off,
GERS required for great variety of extra
service. especially the all-important duty
of training the citizen force of which I
shall presently speak, 1872 non-commis-
stoned officers for service In drill. recruit
ing and the like. and the necessary quota
of enlisted men for the quartermaster
corps. the hospital corps, the ordnance
department and other similar auxiliary
services. These are the additions neces-
sary to render the army adequate for its
present duties. duties which II has to
perform not only upon our own conti-
mental coasts and borders and at our in
terror army posts. but also in the Phil
ippines in the Hawaiian islands, at the
isthmus. and in Porto Rico.
Force of Trained Citizens.
By way OF making the country ready
to assert some part of its real power
promptly and upon larger scale. should
occasion arise. the plan also contemplates
supplementng the army by a force of
ZOO disciplined citizens. raised In incre-
ments of $4,000 year throughout Pc
riod Of three years. This 1t is proposed
to do by a process of enlistment under
which the serviceabe men of the coun-
try would be asked to bind themselves to
serve with the colors for purposes of
training for short periods throughout
tI,,ao ao1.~
at call at any time throughout an addi-
tional 'furlough" period of three years
This force of 100000 men would be pro-
vided with personal accoutrements as fast
as enlisted and their equipment for the
field made ready to be supplied at any
time. They would be assembled for train
ing at stated intervals at convenient
places in association with suitable units
Of the regular army. Their period of
annual training would not necessarily ex-
coed two months In the year.
1t would depend upon the patriotic feel
Ing of the younger men of the country
whether they responded to such a call
to service or not. 1t would depend upon
the patriotic spirit of the employers Of
the country whether they made 1t possi-
BILE for the younger men in their en-
ploy to respond under favorable condi-
tons or not. I, for one, do not doubt
the patriotic devotion either of our young
iAcil VI VI tIioSc WIN give cIHplOy-
ment-those for whose benefit and protec-
tion they would in fact enlist.
Program for the Navy.
The secretary of the navy is asking
also for the immediate addition to the
personnel of the navy of 1900 sailors.
$500 apprentice seamen. and 1,500 marines.
This increase would be sufficient to care
for the ships which are to be completed
within the fiscal year 1917 and also for
fIo ,I~ar 80 ,l1l l.
training to man the ships which will be
completed early in 1918. 1t is also neces-
sary that the number Of midshipmen at
the naval academy at Annapolis should
be increased by at least 300 in order that
the force Of officers should be more rap
idly added to; and authority Is asked to
appoint for engineering duties only, ap-
proved graduates Of engineering colleges,
and for service in the aviation corps
certain number of men taken from civil
life.
If this full program should be carried
out we should have built or building in
1921 according to the estimates of surviv-
al and standards of classification followed
by the general board of the department,
an effective navy consisting of q battle
ships Of the first line. six battle cruisers,
rs battleships Of the second line ten ar
mored cruisers. 10 scout cruisers, five
f1rst-class cruisers. three second-class
troyers. is fleet submarines, 157 coast SUBJ
marines. six monitors, 20 gunboats. four
supply ships, Is fuel ships. four trans
ports. three tenders to torpedo vessels,
eight vessels Of special types. and two
ammunition ships. This would be navy
fitted to our needs and worthy Of our
traditions.
Trade and Shipping.
But armies and Instruments of war are
only part of what has to be considered
If We are to consider the supreme matter
of national sef-suflciency and security
in all its aspects. There are other great
matters which will be thrust upon our at
tention whether we will or not There
| Is, for example, a very pressing question
| Of trade and shipping involved in this
great problem Of national adequacy It
| is necessary for many weighty reasons of
national efficiency and development that
we should have a great merchant ma
| rine. The great merchant fleet we once
| used to make us rich. that great body of
| sturdy sailors who used to carry our flag
| into every sea, and who were the pride
| and often the bulwark of the nation, we
have almost driven out of existence by
| inexcusable neglect and indifference and
| by hopelessly blind and provincial pol
| Icy of so-called economic protection It
is high time we repaired our mistake and
resumed our commercial independence on
| the seas.
For 1t is question of independence.
| If other nations go to war or seek to
| hamper each others commerce, our mer-
| chants 1t seems, are at their mercy,
to do with as they please. We must use
their ships. and use them as they deter
mine. We have not ships enough of our
| own. We cannot handle our own COM
| merce on the seas. Our independence is
provincial. and is only on land and with
in our own borders. We are not likely
to be permitted to use even the ships of
| other nations in rivalry of their own