The sun., 1916-01-06
Standing Army Of 245,OOO
and 100000 Reserves
Also Will Be Asked.
AMERICAN DEFENCE
SOCIETY ON RECORD
Colonel Is the Leading
Spirit at Organizations
Luncheon.

Col. Theodore Roosevelt had one Of
the most enjoyable afternoons of his
life yesterday. lie lunched at the Hotel
Biltmore with the twenty-five other MEM
bers Of the advisory board Of the Amer
lean Defence Society, some friends Of
long standing and some newly made. but
every one Of them heartily In accord
with him as to Just what details OF army
and navy upbuilding should constitute
a real American policy OF adequate
defence.
As usual. the Colonel was the dom
mating. impelling influence at the gath
ering-the life Of the party. With his
lrrepressible vitality and burning enthu-
sasm and knack Of strong speech. he
gave the big shove to the defence So
ciety's carefully thought out programme.
a programme that Is to be put before
the people by liberal expenditure for
publicity and by all OF the personal in
iuence possessed BY the many proml-
nent men In the society's councils. That
programme, as outlined in "A resolution
written by Henry Reuterdahl. the ma
rine artist and expert In army and navy
service problems. was ringingly indorsed
BY the Colonel and unanimously adopted
by the advisory board.
Demands of Defence society.
The programme vas presented as fol-
lows:
We must have a strong navy fully
| manned. OF forty-eight dreadnoughts
and battle cruisers In proportion. The
necessary number Of scouts, destroy
ers and seasoing submarines should
balance the capital fleet: also aux'l-
iaries. colliers. repair ships. tenders
and other necessary craft. Ships
should be laid down immediately.
We must have a standing army of
100000 men and 900 officers backed
by a national force OF citizens trained
| in arms under "A universal and obliga-
tory system. This body should te Of
no less strength than 100000 men.
fully equipped and with large re-
serve supply Of artillery and ammuni-
ton.
This shall be Americas insurance
against war. against invasion, against
| a foreign flag over Washington--a
force OF defence which makes the
this shall be the true meaning OF pre-
paredness. Half measures are useless
and a waste of money.
In support OF this resolution with
emphasis upon the necessity for obliga-
tory military training to produce as
| RAPIDLY as possible a thoroughly trained
| citizen army Of z. 900. 900. Col Roosevelt
spoke unreservedly. Others at the lunch
con who backed up the Colonel ana
agreed that Mr. Reuterdahrs programme
was what our national situation Calls
for. were Truman H. Newberry. ex-Sec-
reary OF the Navy. DR.. David Jayne
HilI' G. 4 Thompson, Gushing Stetson.
]. Flavel Hubbard and George r.
Sweeney.
Secrecy HAD Bren Ordered.
The luncheon was private and except
for the news contained in the Reuterdahl
resolution and "A few generalities very
little was supposed to be made public
Reporters who went to the Biltmore
early in the afternoon expecting elbow
room at the luncheon and Interesting
speeches pumped directly into their
ears were kept at a distance out OF
sight and sound. until the luncheon was
over and most Of the lunchers had tip
toed modestly away. Philip J. Roose-
yeIt the Colonels nephew. and others
of the advisory board explained that
secrecy had been ordered because the
meeting at bottom was strictly busi-
ness meeting. with discussion OF the
amount OF money in the society's treas
ury and the exact source Of these con-
tributions,
Let it be strictly understood. how
ever. that not single cent of the
$40. 900 the society now has In bank has
been contributed by an individual or a
concern connected with the manufacture
or sale Of munitions OF war" was the
announcement made. THE fund liz made
up and will be supported by contribu-
tions from persons who believe az we
do that the time has come to stop
shillyshallying about defence measures
and to adopt a sensible and patriotic
programme"
When the Colonel, gleeful, merry
fairly ramping with cheerfulness. came
at a quick step out of the meeting he
was naturally bombarded Instantly with
questions az to what he had said In
, his speech supporting the resolution.
Come on. Colonel, tell us what you
said" suggested the reporters.
"Boys." he said. II feel as Senator
Pettigrew did when he said I've just got
to be reticent about that speech. I'll
bet you my bottom dollar that none OF
it gets published.
"Did Ii have any political signincance
the meeting, that Is
Nothing Political. Says Colonel.
"Of course not How could II have
with all OF these men present." Ant
the Colonels hand waved toward a
group OF men representing Republican
Democratic and Progressive opinion.
mo, cant say n word about polite.
hot n word. It's useless to question
me, boys My lips are sealed. Where,
INV hat? This isn't my hat. It's Phi
! Roose velt's hat. IT'S perfectly prope,
kind OF hat Ia big, black one very lik'
L his ownl. but II isn't my hat. This Il
nv oyercoat because in pocket IN thu
Journal OF the United Service Institute.
[ He laughed heartily and made for thu
: elevator with Just the kind Of twinkle
/, in his eye that man reveals when h
ls up to something particularly inter
esting.
: Despite the Colonel's reticence and th
q apparent unwillingness OF the member
: OF the advisory board to disclose Jus
what was said at the preparedness lunCh
con, what was vouched for by one o