Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-20
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Washington. Jan. 19,--Maior GEN
eral Leonard wood told the senate
military committee today the coast
line of the United states was open to
attack by any well organized foreign
army despite It's equipment of forts
mines and submarines and that the
oceans formed no serious barrier to-
invasion. He maintained that In the
country's present state Of utter unpre-
parcdness for war, n trained force of
l50, 900 could inflict incalcnlahle dam
age before an army could he ASSEM-
blcd Ia meet IT,
Lesson From GallipoIi.
Events of the European war DEM
onstrated clearly, the general said,
that the sea was the best medium for
the movement Of troops, and he point
ed out that a force of 10000 men
fully equipped, had been landed nj
Galllpoii from single expedition Of
nincty-elght ships, against subma-
rines, mines and underwater screens
Of bafbed wire which fringed every
available landing place.
HNbtS f7NfthWrs' - Afst's
Emphasizing his conviction that
troops cannot be improvised to meet
regulars, General Wood said the fund
amental basis of any policy of ade-
quate national defense must be the
principle that with suffrage goes an
obligation for military service. Such
policy was advocated by George
In hn1
been adopted Canada would have be-
come part of the United states In the
war of 1912.
Only Once Prepared for Wnr.
"Only once in our history have We
been prepared for war" he added.
THAT was Immediately after the civil
war, when we had million and a
half trained soldiers. our diplomatic
correspondence with France at that
time concerning Mexico wac very brief
1t required only ono note because of
our preparedness. France was told
to get out OF Mexico and she got out
'There isn't going to be any weak
ness abroad after this war is over. You
will find that more male children VIII
nave been born than males who have
been killed or injured.
Must Protect Gold with Iron.
you will have all the gold per-
haps, but it will not do you much good
unless you stiffcn it with lron.'
As TO the immediate needs of tho
regular army, General Wood express
"a the opirlon that III" force of reg
ulars with the colors should be main
tained at 100000. OF these he said,
1000 equipped and supplied for a
years time, should be kept In the
Philippines; another 10000 in Hu-
waii. and $1,000 at Panama.
Urges Reserve System.
lie urged that the regulars should
have a reserve system under which,
in slx-year enlistment men would
he transferred into reserve when
ever their company commanders re-
ported them efficient 10 be definitely
assigned TO war stations. Equipment
for members Of the reserve would be
Kept at their stations and once every
two years they would he required to
ioin the colors for ten days training
to keep them mp To date.
Continental system Second Best.
General Wood said that If universal
military service was not TO be obtain
ed he favored continental army
scheme substantially as proposed by
the war department., provided It isl
absolutely divorced from the organ
izod militia"
The increases for the regular army
proposed by Secretary Garrison, how
ever. he characterized as .ahsurdly |
inadequate and indicating a failure to
appreciate the lessons of the Euro
pcan war" particularly as to the
proportion Of field artillery llel
recommended that the proportion of
field guns be- fiXed at five 20 every
1000 rifles on sabres The present
army standard is 80 per thousand. |
although in actual equipment the reg
ulars are nearer two per thousand. !
The board recently created in the
war department has fiXed on 80 per
thousand as the number necessary
Country Totally Cnpreparcd.
Revertng to the condition of the |
country To face war the general said |
the United States was utterly unpre-
pared and knew nothing OF the pro-
blems it would have to meet. At leastl