Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-30
MORE EFFICIENCY
|. FOR THE U. S. ARMY
Reorganization and Increase
in Size Probable in Next
Congress.
SENTIMENT IN FAVOR
OF A RESERVE SYSTEM
General Staff Working on Recon-
mendations, Says Senator
Chamberlain.

Legislation will be enacted at the
next session of Congress reorganizing the
United States Army, putting 1t on more
efficient basis and increasing its size
somewhat" said Senator Chamberlain Of
Oregon. chairman of the Senate military
| affairs committee. today. Such legisla-
ton is of the greatest importance, In my
opinion, Congress will deal with 1t without
fail when it meets again. The general
staff of the army Of the War College are
working upon recommendations which will
| be laid before the Secretary Of War and
later before Congress. understand.
"Of course, / cannot say that all the
recommendations of the general staff will
be accepted by Congress. But there is no
doubt but what it ls wise to go about the
! matter of reorganization and increase OF
efficiency by calling upon the men best
prepared to give US needed information.
1T is essential, IN my opinion, that the
various units OF the army pe rounded out
| in accordance with the demands of mill
| lary efficiency if the army Is to be OF
the greatest use in time of need.
Need of Trained Reserve.
Senator Chamberlain laid great
stress upon the need of the establish
ment of a trained military reserve.
In the past" said Senator Chamber
lain. "it has been impossible to keep
| In touch with the trained men VINO
ieave the army each year. The govern
ment has had no hold upor. these men.
1 believe that it will be possible to
| keep in touch with them and to or.
ganlze strong reserve for the army II
they are kept on the rolls as reserves
when they leave the service and are
paid a comparatively small sum. say
s24 a year. If such course were
adopted believe that within five years
the army would have a trained reserve
100000 strong"
Senator Chamberlain said that the
advisa bility Of a shorter term OF en-
listment was being seriously con-
sidered. with the idea that many young
men who now do not enlist in the
army would then come into the service
for the shorter term and gain mill
tary training which would be of bene-
fit both to themselves and to the coun-
try. At the end of the short term en-
listment these men could retire to the
reserves. In case 1t became necessary
to mobilize the reserves each man
for duty. and there he would fnd his
full equipment.
Weeks Also for Reserve.
Senator Weeks of Massachusetts,, who
has been mentioned as probable can-
didate for the republican nomination
for the presidency, is strongly in favor
of the adoption of a system which
would bring about trained reserve
for the army. with which the War De-
partment could keep constantly in
| touch. He has advocated such plan
in the Senate, and favorS cutting the
term of enlistment to one year. In
that time, he maintains, young man
can be thoroughly trained in his duties
as a soldier, and If called upon In the
future for military service would be a
valuable asset.
Senator Chamberlain, feeling the in
creased interest in America in the sub
| ject of national defense, had printed
as a public document discussion of
| the military systems of Australia and
Switzerland. and the system of train
| ing officers in Great Britain. 1t shows
that Switzerland, with 4 population of
3,315,443, smaller than that of Massa :
chusetts and with an area less than
twice that of the same state, can mo-
bilize 100000 trained and properly
| equipped soldiers within twenty-four
hours. Behind this is reserve of
armed and have received training, and
may be used to fill casualties, for the
defense of positions and for special du-
| ties of various kinds.
All Owe Military Service.
I Livery SWISS citizen owes military
service from the commencement Of the
year In which he attains the age OF
twenty TO the end of that in which he
himself during his twentieth year at a
| designated place in his location: for
| physical and mental examination. The
I, examinations are thorough, and only
sent themselves are accepted. though
| 1t is considered a misfortune not to be
| accepted.
| Ali men accepted are insured by the
government against sickness or acct
| dent contracted while in the service
and men who are not accepted are
taxed. because of their exemption, until
they have reached the age Of forty.
| The active army Ia composed OF ali
| men between twenty and thirty-twc
Except in the cavalry. where it is
thirty who have been able to pass tn.
examinations. After thirtytwo the
soldier passes to the landwehr. snd
after forty. until he is forty eight, ht
| is member of the landsturm
The system is not burden upon the
citizens of Switzerland. The training
OF the recruits is thorough. but com
paratively brief. Then they are al.
| become regular members OF the mill.
tary organizations. Repetition courses
are held every year for brief periods
for the soldiers
Cost in United States More,
1t has been demonstrated again ant
again that it costs the United State.
far more to maintain its army, takins
it man for man, than it does the ma
tions of Europe. In Switzerland tn,
cost of the army is ridiculously small
compared to the cost of the army in tn,
limited States. In Switzerland 1t il
lestimated that the annual cost Il
about 100000. The cost of each sol
die- in the first line. which can be in
stantly mobilized. amounts to s35 /,
wear. The second line costs nothing
The annual appropriations for tn
American army show that each regula
American soldier costs twenty-eigh
times as much as does the Swiss
The men who are studying tn
problem of national defense in tn,
United States feel that some steps mus
be taken to reduce the cost per capit,
/ Of the United States Army. while at tn,
same time increasing the number O
trained men available for militar,
service.