The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1916-12-21
|ARMY HEAD URGES
BIG j. 5. FORCE
Maj. Gen. Scott Says America
Needs Army of 100000.
VOLUNTEER SYSTEM SCORED
Calls Compulsory Service Best Peace
lnsurance-Senate Committee Told
Mobilization on Border
Was a Failure.

Washington, Dec. l9.-AdVocates
and opponents of Il system of uniNer-
sal training for military service to re-
place the volunteer system as the
mainstay of the nations defense, had
Il hearing before the senate military
committee on Senator Chamberlain
bill for universal training which is
supported by the army general staff.
While representatives of organiza-
tons opposed to the bill, headed by
Walter l.. Fisher, former secretary of
the interior, gave their reasons for
opposing it, Major General Scott, chief
of staff Of the army, detailed to the
committee why the general staff CON
sidered the volunteer system wholly
broken down, inefficient and useless,
and urged that it be discarded for a
universal system of liability to train
Ing and service.
Need Army Of 100000.
General Scott, disclosing much of
the army war college material, hith-
erto regarded as confidential, shows
that the army general staff now be-
lieves that instead of 100000 available
men, which it considered sufficient as
start to defend the country against
invasion, the country should have
] 100000 fully trained men at the be-
ginning of war, with Il like number
ready to follow in 80 days. The
change is based on the development
of the British army, the organization
of great Canadian forces and the Brit
ish alliance with Japan.
With such IL force available, the
army general staff, General Scott said,
considers the United States practical
ly immune from such an attack as
military StrategistS believe might be
expected from the victorious set Of
powers in the European war.
Mobilization Failure, Says Gen. Wood.
Major General Wood commander of
the department of the east, told the
committee nothing could have been
more pronounced than the complete in
efficiency of the recent militia mobiliza-
ton on the Mexican border.
Urging intensive military training
as the only means by which the Uni
ted States can procure Il much-needed
and adequate national defense, Gen
eral Wood referred to the Mexican
border militia mobilization.
You have seen the result of the
recent mobilization of the militia on
the border" said General Wood, who
had much to do with the work. 1T
was tho most terrific and complete fail
urc ever attempted on that line. Moth
ing could be more pronounced than its
complete inclliciency."
General Woods proposal was that
every young man physically tit for
military service should be subjected
in his nineteenth year to six months
of intensive military training which
would be equivalent to about eighteen
months of training as now given in
the regular army. In his twenty-first
year such Il trained soldier would be
subject TO Il call TO the colors, and in
that year should be subjected to at
least twenty days field service. At the
age Ol twcnty-u - years the term of
the trained citizen soldier in which he
would be subject TO call in case of ma
tional emergency would terminate.
Under such "A system General Wood
estimated that there would be trained
each year an army of 100000 men, and
that by holding these men subject to
service for eight years that there al
ways would be available after the first
eight years an army of 100000
trained men.
Volunteer System Dangerous.
General Scott told the senate mill
tary committee that the army general
staff recommended, without apology,
ed because "'rhe time has come when
This country, unless it Intends To avoid
war at any cost must resort 10 uni
yersal liability to military training
ana service
Arruigniug the volunteer system AS
cXtrayagnnt inefficient and dangerous,
the chief Of staff told the committee
that universal training would be demo-
cratic, reliable, efficient and cconom-
ical, and within Il few years practical
ly render the United States immune
from attack.
1T would he democratic he said
because the burden of national de-
Tense would fan equally upon all Cit.
zeuS. II would make it impossible for
any man or group of men TO trade
upon the nations necessities in time
Of war. The system would he reliable
because it would produce each year
trained. II would hc economical be-
cause II would be based upon rccogui-
tiun by The people of the duty of The
individual to render personal service,
and in carrying it into effect the gov
crnmcnt would not have to compete in
the labor market 1t would be ELI.
Cicnt because 1t would enable us TO
prepare adequately for war before
war comes"
AZ the outset General Scott pointed
out that the Mexican crisis had failed
to recruit many National Guard or.
CARNATIONS even to their minimum
peace strength.