The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-10

the exception of the japanese who
proved themselves in the Russian war,
are now being tested the report de-
clares and finds that the result is to
show IAN example of resultant eff
cheney of any nation that has develop
ed sound military policy; the sound
est policy being the one which insures
successful termination of the war in
the shortest time"
Need Army to Protect Coast.
Presenting the military problem of
the country the report continues:
Without superiority on the sea or
an adequate land force there is moth
ing to prevent any hostile power or
coalition of powers from landing on
our shores such part of its trained and
disciplined troops as its available
transports can carry. The time re-
quired is limited only by the average
speed of its vessels and the delay
necessarily consumed in embarking
and discriminating"
The report then makes this state
ment of the military problem:
From what has been stated, we are
forced to the conclusion that We must
be prepared to resist a combined land
and sea operation of formidable
strength. Our principal coast cities
and important harborS have already
been protected by harbor defenses
which, by passive method alone, can
deny to an enemy the use of these
localities as bases for such expeditions.
The enemy being unable to gain
foothold in any of these fortified areas
by direct naval attack will therefore
be forced to find some suitable place
on the coast from which land opera
lions can be conducted both against
the important coast cities and the
rich commercial centerS in the in
terror. Long stretches of coast line be-
tween the fortified places lie open to
the enemy. The only reasonable wax
x1vf oh Ga
Tended is by providing a mobile land
force of sufficient strength. SO located
that it may be thrown in at threatened
points at the proper time.
1T has just been shown what the
strength of these expeditions might
be, as we'll as the time required for
any one of them to develop its whole
effective force. Hence it can oe seen,
when we take into consideration the
possible two months delay provided
by the navy, that our system should
be able to furnish 100000 trained
and organized mobile troops at the
outbreak of the war and to have at
least 100000 more available within 90
days thereafter. Here, however, it
must be pointed out that two expe-
ditions alone will provide Il force large
enough to cope with our l,90n,")C
mobile troops, and consequently we
must at the outbreak of hoStilitieS
provide the system to raise and train
in addition, at least 100000 troops to
replace the losses ana WdStaS6 III per
sopnel incident to war.
Standing Army of $1,000.
In its recommendations for the reg
ular army the report contemplates
mobile force of 121, 900 men with the
colorS in continental United States,
$1,000 coast artillery with reserves to
bring the corps up to $4,000; one rein
forced division in the Philippines, one
division in the Hawaiian Islands and
one in Panama.
OF the Philippine garrison it says
the policy of holding the group is a
national not a military one but that it
must be remem bered that unless the
navy holds absolute control of the sea,
no additional troops can be sent there
at need. The defense of the Pearl
Harbor naval base can be accomplish
ed properly, the report continues, only
by adding a mobile force to the gar
rison to meet attempts at landing and
a similar situation exists in the Pam
anna canal zone, and the situation of
the Guantanamo naval station, of
Porto Tcico and Alaska are also point
ed out as requiring permanent army
garriSonS.
The report reviews the situation in
United States to show that
because of geographical conditions
mobile forces must be maintained in
each of the Puget Sound, California,
first three are described as the "crit-
ical areas" Puget Sound should have,
it is stated, one division of troops, less
the divisional cavalry, and a brigade
of three regiments of cavalry; Cali
fornia and the north Atlantic states
one division and a brigade of cavalry
each; the middle west, a division less
its cavalry and a brigade of cavalry.
Two brigades of cavalry are assigned
to the Mexican border.
Under this distribution there would
be $4,000 regulars of all arms on over
seas service and 14S,OOO in the United
nT CT ',
the colors of 230, 900 men and officers.
non-combatant forces neces-
sary, grand total of 2S1, 900 is reach
ed for the standing army.