The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-11-05
Ny ASK
FOR s. JPPOR
ourselves to vindicate our right to
Independent ana unmolested action by
making the force that Is b us ready

making the force that is D us ready
for assertion. 4
And we know that we can do this
In q way that will be itself an illus
tration Of the American spirit. Ia
accordance with our American tradi-
tons we want and shall work for
only an army adequate to the constant
and legitimate uses Of times Of 1n-s
ternational peace, But we do want to;
feel that there is great body 81
citizens who have erected at least the
most rudimentary and necessary forms
of military training; that they will
be ready to form themselves into a
fighting force at the call. Of the ma
ton; and that the nation has the,
munitions and supplies with which to-
equip them without delay should It be
necessary to call them into action
We wish to supply them with the
training they need. and we think wo
can do so without calling them az
any time too long away from their
civilian pursuits.
II 10 with this idea, with this CON
cephon. n mind that the plans have
been made which It will be my prs:
yileEe to lay before the Congress at
tts next session, That plan calls for
only such an increase in the regular
army OF the United States 40 exper-.
ience has proved to be required for,
the performance OF the necessary
duties Of the army IN the Philippines,
IL Hawaii, in Porto! Rico. upon the
borders Of the United States. at tho
coast Qualifications, and at the milf
tary posts Of the interior. For the
rest, 1t calls for the training within
the next three years Of q force Of:
400. 000> citizen soldiers to be raised
In annual contingents Of $4,000, who
would be asked to, enlist for three
years with the colors and three years
on furlough, but who during their.
three years Of enlistment with the
colors would not be organized as a
standing force but would be expected
merely to undergo intensive training
for very brief period Of each year.
Their training would take place in
immediate association With the or,
ganized units OF the regular army.
II would have no touch Of the anna
tour about II, neither would 1t exact
Of the voluteers more than they could
give In any one year from their civilian
pursuits.
And none Of this would be done.
in such a way as in the slightest de-
gree to supersede or subordinate our
present serviceable and efficient ma
tional guard. On the contrary, the
national guard itself would be used
as part Of the instrumentality by
which training would be given the
citizens who enlisted under the new
conditions. and ! should hope and
expect that the legislation by which
all this would be accomplished would
put the national guard itself upon
a better and more permanent FOOT
ing than 1t has ever before, giving
1t not only the recognition which It
deserves, but a more definite support
from the national government and
O. more definite connection with the
military organization OF the nation.
What we all wish to accomplish
Is that the forces Of the nation should
be part Of the nation and not q
separate professional force, and the
chief cost Of the system would not be
in the enlistment or In the train
ing Of the men, but in the providing
Of ample equipment in case it should
be necessary to call all forces into
the field.
Moreover. 1t has been American
policy time out of mind to look to
the navy, as the first and chief line
Of defense. The navy Of the United
States is already a very great and
efficient force. Not rapidly, but slow
", with with careful attention. our
naval force has been developed until
the navy Of the United States stands
recognized as one Of the most eff
Client and notable Of the modern,
time. All that is needed. in order
to bring 1t to point Of extraordin-
airy force and efficiency as compared
with the other navies of the world is
that we should hasten our pace In
the policy we have long been pur-
suing, and that chief of all we should
have q definite policy Of development,
not made from year to year but look
ing we'll into the future and plan
ming for definite contamination.
We can and should profit In all that
we do sby the experience and ex-
ample that have been made obvious
to us by the military and naval
events Of the actual present. It is
not merely matter Of building bat-
tleships and cruisers and submar-
ines. but also a matter of making
sure that we shall have the ade.
quate equipment of men and NUM-
tons and supplies for the vessels
we, built and intend to build. Part
OF our problem is the problem Of
what I may call the mobilization Of
the resources Of the nation at the
proper time ii 1t should ever be
necessary to mobilize them for ma.
tional defense. We shall study the
number and size Of our ships, and
I believe that the plans already in
part made public by the navy de-
partment are plans which the whole
nation can approve with rational en-
thusiasm. 5
No thoughtful man feels any
haste in this matter. The country
is not threatened from any quarter.
She stands in friendly relations with
all the world. Her resources are
known and her self-respect and her
capacity to care for her own citizens
and her own rights. There 10 M