Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1915-11-11
PLANS FOR DEFENSE
PRESIDENT WILSON STATES THS
PREPAa=rNEss PROGRAM
OF ADMINISTRATION.
ASKS SUPPORT OF NATION
In Speech Before Manhattan Club
chief Executive Tells How Army
Should Be Enlarged and Navy De-
seloped for Protection Of America

seioped tor Protecttcr OF America
New York. Nov 5.-What President
Wilson and his administration are
planning IN the way OF a larger army
and navy for the adequate protection
OF the United States was summarized
BY the chief executive last night in a
speech at the hftieth anniversary Of
the Manhattan club
Our ambition. said Mr.. Wilson. Is
not Only to be free ana prosperous
ourselves bot 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
to make an independent people sub
Jet 10 our dominion Because OF the
great European conflict. said the pres
fdeut. from one end OF our. own dear
country to the other men are asking
one another what our own force is
how far wc are prepared to maintain
ourselves against any interference
with our action or development.
Though the mission % America in
the world is essentially a mission Of
peace and good will among men. de
elared Mr. Wilson. we feel justified in
preparing ourselves to vindicate our
right to Independent and unmoIested
action BY making the force that is in
Us ready for assertion
Pisrs for the Army.
And we know continued the pres
iient. that We can do this in a way
that win be itself an illustration OF the
American spirit In accordance with
our American traditions we want and
shall work fer only an army adequate
To the constant and legitimate uses OF
times OF International peace. But We
do want to feel that there is a great
body ~ citizens Who have received a.
least the rost rudf1entary and neces-
sary forms OF military training: that
they viii be ready to form themselves
into a fighting force at the call Of the
nation. and that the nation has the
munitions and supplies with which to
equip them without delay should il b.
necessary to call them into action
We wisE 10 supply them with the
trimming they need and we think We
can do so without calling them at any
tine too loug away from their civilian
pursuits
1T Is with this idea with this con
ceptiOn in mind that the plans have
been made which Il will be nv privi-
lege to lay before the congress at its
next session That plan calls for only
such an increase IN the regular army
OF the United States as experience has
proved to be required for the perform
ance OF the necessary duties of the
army in the Philippines. in Hawaii. In
Porto Rico. Epon the borders OF the
United States. At the coast fortifca-
tious. and At the military posts OF the
interior Fer the rest. IL calls for the
training within the next three years
OF a force Of 100000 citizen soldiers to
be raised in annual contingeuts Of 10.
600. Who would be asked to enlist for
three years with the coIOrs and three
years on fu-iough- but who during
their three years OF enlistment With
the eOlors would not be organized as
a standing force but would be expect
ed merely to undergo intensive train.
ing for very brief period Of each
year Their training would take place
in immediate association with the or.
gauized units Of the regular army. 7,
would h1uua No II
about IT, neither would il exact of the
volunteers more than they could give
= any one year from their civilian
pursuits
And ncHe OF this would be done in
sueh way as in ne slightest DEGREES
TO sUpersede or suh1-finste orr ures
ent serviceable and eifcfe-t Natinpa
Quasi On the eontr7-v- the NatIona
Guard Itself would be used as a mar
o. the instrumentaIity By which train
ing would be given the citizens VII,
enlisted under the new conditions. anf
l should hope and expect that the leg
isIation BY which all this would he ac
complishst would put the Natioua
Guard itself upon better and NOR,
permanent footing than il has eve
been before. giving il not only the rec
ogrition which Il deserves but a NOR,
definite connection with the miIitar,
organization Of the nation
For Development Of the Navy.
Il has been American policy tim.
out OF mind to look to the navy a.
the first and chief line OF defense
The navy OF the United States is al
ready very great and efficient force
Not rapidly. but slowly. with careful
atsenticn- our naval force has beef
developed until the navy OF the Unite,
States stands recognized as ore Of tn,
most efficient and notable OF the mod