The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-07
GARRISON OUTLINES
 PROGRAMME FOR 1 NATIONAL DEFENSE
War Secretary Says Plans Are Thoroughly Practical and Will Meet the
 Nations Needs

Washington. November 6.-An outline of the armys part in the national defense programme to be submitted to Congress ill December by the administration was
 made public tonight by Secretary Garri- son disclosing officially for the first time details of the plan to raise a great con- tinental or citizen army to supplement the regular establishment.
 l In brief, it is proposed to increase the regular army from 10s,00s to 141,s4S of 1 ficers and men Changing the term of enlistment from four years with the colors and four years on furlough); to organize federal citizen army of 100000 (to be enlisted 1S3,eo0 a year for three years); to strengthen the state militia by in creased appropriations and closer coop
 eration; and to spend s2o. 100000 year for four years on coast defenses and s26,0o0, GOO year for four years in the accumulation of reserve material for by a force of 500,0C0 men.
 MT. Garrison says that the framers of
 the new policy are fully conscious of the possibility of formulating military policies
 much better in theory, but that after concentrated consideration of existing legal and other conditions they think it will be found that almost insuperable ob- jections and difficulties arise in carrying itno practical operation suggestions that from the military standpoint might other, wise be very acceptable.
 The statement reveals that in the prepa-
 ration of their plans, war department of 1 ficials have called into consultation spe- | s,f try.
 Tt has been proposed" it says, ito make available in time of need the serv- 1 ices of those in certain kinds of employ ment requiring special knowledge and skill, such as railroad men, bridge build | CTS, engineers of all descriptions, etc. and leading men in these lines and pro- I fessions have been collaborating with the war department in an endeavor to formu- | late by legislation or administrative ac- l ton, an acceptable and useful plan With respect thereto.
 Appeals to Employers
 "In this connection, and because of the patriotic spirit thus displayed it seems desirable to say that if those who are the employers of the young men of the | country cannot by reason of age or sltua- l ton in life, give their personal service,
 they can do that which will be equally l uScluI ny CIlCOuIdSliS III ONciJ NoE tai~ participation of those in their employ | in the plan of national defense. If they would so arrange their business that a certain proportion of those whom they
 engage could undertake this national
 service without sacrificing their per sonal interests those who did this thing
 would be acting in the most public spirited
 and patriotic manner possible.
 | The citizen army would be recruited throughout the entire country and or ganized in geographical divisions. It's members, though enlisted for six-year terms, would be required to report for l intensive training only for short periods each year for three years and during 1 the remaining three years would be fur oughed subject to call to the coiors Ill l time of war. In addition to officers who may be developed in the course of it's l operation, MT. Garrison proposed to draw officers for this force from men who | have served in the National Guard or the regular army or who have been trained | in private military schools. Individuals or organizations in the existing National Guard free to do so would be permitted 1 to come into the citizen army without l change of rank.
 | For the next fiscal year, when it is proposed to put this new policy into op-
 eration, Congress will be asked to appro- priate $lS2, ,036; the second year the
 amount will be $212,S15,S79; the third $22S, | 315,S79, annually thereafter if the policy
 were continued without change the army l budget would be $1S2, 234, 559.
 The additions to the regular army con | templated are 10 regiments of infantry, four regiments of field artillery, 52 regi-
 ments of coast artillery, b companies oi
 | engineers and four aero sQuadrons, to be
 brought in half next year and half the | following year.
 This plan when completed would place
 in the Panama canal zone, Hawaiian Is
 lands the Philippines, and Alaska, 145s
 l officers and 47,456 enlisted men. In the
 | continental United States, there would
 be in the regular establishment 2956 of-
 | ficers and 6696s men, including Il and
 two-thirds regiments of cavalry, 26 and
 | two-thirds regiments of infantry, seven
 regiments of field artillery, 17O companies
 of coast artillery and about 40o0 officers
 and men in engineer and signal corps.