New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-25
President to Confer with
Secretary of War on
Return to Capitol.
EXPECT REQUEST
FOR BIG BUDGET
Special Attention to Plans for
Adequate Supply OF
Ammunition.
Iron The Tribune Bureau J

Washington, July "a Secretary Of
War Garrison is ready 10 make imme-
date response to the Presidents call
for national defence plans. He will
Law his programme before Mr.. Wilson
as soon as the latter returns TO Wash
incton. His scheme, OH which he has
been working for several months, is
now practically complete. Secretary
Daniels. while he has already sketched
the broad outlines Of his plan, will not
be able to furnish the details required
until his General Board meets, in Oc-
tober.
The White House gave out this state
ment to-day:
"The President has been considering
every phase of the matter Of national
defence. and intends Immediately on
his return to Washington 10 confer
with the Secretary OF War and the
Secretary of the Navy, his purpose be
inc to procure information on which
he can formulate a sane, reasonable
and practical programme OF national
defence
The Presidents decision 70 take up
tho defence question has caused much
satisfaction among the advocates OF
preparedness. The announcement from
the White House to-day was looked
upon ss significant in view OF the in
national situation. The conference,
however. was planned some time ago.
Expect Large Appropriations.
While there was widespread discus
sion to-day of the administration
plans for the national defence the pre-
yailing interest was in the probable
size of the appropriations 20 be asked.
Army and navy officers fam liar with
he latest developments and entnuSl-
sstic over the backing which President
Wilson is giving the programme so
far developed believe that a military
budget practically double that OF last
year would be presented. The army,
i was believed, would seek at least
1900 900 900 and the navy as much as
s25O,00O.O0O.
War Department plans look toward
the DEVELOPMENT of a large reserve
army with a minimum. il is said, OF
100000 men, and with adequate pro
vision for the use of the militia and
men who have previously served IN the
regular army. Weekly meetings are
neld by the board designated by Sec
rotary Garrison to prepare plans Tor
general reorganization of the army.
Special attention is being given. Il is
understood to planning for an ade-
quate supply of guns, ammunition and
military material generally.
Plan Provides for Expansion.
Secretary Garrison's plans will fur
nish the President with all the data
necessary 10 his study of the problem.
They call for radical changes in the
army organization, with a view 10
forming a larger number of units
without a dispIoportionate increase in
the size Of the standing army. Secre-
tary Garrison's idea is TO create an
organization capable of being expanded
in time of war. and cOntemplates a
large increase in the number of Off
GERS ard men.
More effective cooperation between
the regular army and the militia and
more thorough training and more ade-
Quate equipment for the latter are
proposed
Mobile defences will form a promi-
rent part Of the Secretarys plan. The
army has no heavy field artillery 10
compete with the huge guns in use
o. the battlehelds of Europe Ord
nance experts are working on plans
for giant guns to be mounted on rail
road trucks and designed chiefly to
act as secondary coast defences.
The transportation problem is an
other which the army faces and which
Secretary Garrison has considered
The European war has demonstrated
that automobiles are indispensable,
even where railway systems are highly
developed Foreign governments have
studied the question for many years
and have proved the necessity of such
preparedness.
Daniels Asks Submarines.
Secretary Daniels will furnish a gen
eral outline of the navy's requirements
- the President. Submarine equip
ment will be the keynote of his report.
The Navy Department, it has been in
1icated, will ask for at least thirty
and probably fifty additional subma-
rines. The General Boards recon-
mendatiOns are also expected to in
,lude several battle cruisers, a mini
mum Of four drcadnoughts and a pro-
portionate number of scout cruisers
and auxiliary craft, such as fuel ships
and submarine tenders.