New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-17
ARMS And The MEN
TOPIC AT LUNCHEON
Army Needs $4,000 More
Men, Garrison Tells
Republican Club.
ONLY $4,000 TROOPS
FOR HOME DEFENCE
Rev. Holmes Declares Increase
Would Be as Bad as Throw
ing Gasolene on Blaze.

TO arm or not 70 arm was the ques-
tion yesterday az the Saturday discus
sions luncheon in the Republican Club
Lindley VI. Garrison, Secretary Of War;
Henry l.. Stimson, former Secretary OF
War, Colonel William Cary Sanger and
others said that the solution of the ma
tional defence problem was OF prime
Importance. The Rev. John Haynes
Holmes opposed any increase in army
or navy.
IF we can shake off incrusted ideas.
said Mr. Garrison, throw off preJu-
and studying this question as they
should ] am sure there will be re-
Spouse which will satisfy oil serious
students OF the problem"
Right now, Mr. Garrison thinks, is q
time peculiarly fitted for calm
quiet. orderly" working out Of the
problem. The defence Of the nation, he
pointed out. was duty prescribed IN
the Constitution. Even in the com
paratively peaceful times we think this
country has enjoyed since the Indian
Colonial wars, Mr.. Garrison pointed
not, one year in seven has been spent
waging war.
The aim in the efforts for a bigger
army" he said, lis simply 10 take
proper precautions. such as one would
take against typhoid fever. There Is
no occasion for any alarm, any hys
terra, fear Of compulsory military ser
vice; no occasion 20 be moved By the
cry of nation in arms or TO have
dust thrown in your eyes or fear IN
your hearts"
When the contemplated garrisons
had been sent 10 Hawaii and the Pan
anna Canal, Secretary Garrison de-
clared, there would remain fewer than
$4,000 men in our home army. Build
ing up the regular army. he thought
was more important than anything
else If soldiers, both regulars and
national guardsmen, were looked upon
rs public servants giving service OF
the highest kind. that viewpoint on the
part Of the public would have a great
effect, he said, in strengthening our
army
For a first line OF defence" the
Secretary concluded. eve would need
$4,000 more men than we have now
This would be nothing but a rabble and
q mob unless we had officers who could
mould them into disciplined force
Colonel Sanger had brought along
some spontoons aXe-headed pixies
which the militia used to carry. l.
was not until Elihu Root was Secretary
of War. in 1903, said Colonel Sanger
that a law compelling every militiamar
10 report equipped with hanger and
spontoon was removed from the stat
ute books.
The Rev. John Haynes Holmes, cast
ing his vote against any increase in
army or navy. said he regarded both
as in the same relation 70 war that
gasolene and dynamite bore 10 fire.
Mr.. Stimson told Of his work as Sec
rotary Of War. Another speaker was
George f. Chamberlain, Of Oregon
chairman of the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs.
Edward +. CraRin presided. About
400 we're present. Some Of them were
/ j. s. Alexander, J. y. Wallace, \. F
/ Brady, Charles Lanier J. y. Jarvie
Judge Adclbert Rich. Judge Fredcrick
Crane, General Francis Y. Greene
Frederic \. Coudert, Otto NJ. Barnard
General Leonard Wood, Major Gen
eral Dennis F. Collins. Henry P. Moor
head, Brigadier General Edwin W
Hine, Brlgadier General John A.
Mather. Frank Sullivan Smith. 5. Stan
wood Nenken. George Haven Putnam
and DR.. Franz Erick Junge