The Washington times., 1916-01-02
CdpitdlExpertE Exposes
u. S. UnprepdrdneSS
Frederick Louis Huidekoper Asserts Either England or
Germany Could Land 25OOoo Trained Troops In
America Within Five Weeks

author states, that such a force would
be smaller than the actual strength Of
the regular army at any time since tho
close OF lS6l-save in April, 1866. when
IT numbered only $3.50, but when we
had more than a million volunteers
who were regulars in everything hut
Notwithstanding that in those
hfty-three years our population has in
OOO." '-'''''''' -''''''''
One Shudders 20 Think.
The author finds that "the guns OF
the fortiicatIons in the United states
firing at the limit OF their capacity
would expend every bit OF ammunition
that they possess within forty-hve min
utes. IL the mortars were similarly
fired they would exhaust the last round
of ammunition in thirty minutes. one
shudders to contemplate what would
happen IL our Notifications we're sub
1ected 70 such gruelling bombardment
for weeks as those in tho Dardanelles
have recently undergone
1t Is also asserted that IAN hour and
forty-six minutes would suffice to eX-
haust the last round of ammunition ir
the guns lat the Panama Canal were
fired at their maximum rate, and that
there exist no defenses against land at
tack by hostile force dtsembarking
sixty miles south OF Panama and ad-
vancing along the plateau"
Mr.. HuidekOper finds that "the Ameri-
can army Is far more expensive in pro-
portion to its siZe than any of the
others, and that each man costs more
than N,00O per annum." and that our
Tegulars-which are in reality a ma
tional police-are more expensive than
of the United States" In 1914 the fig-
ures for the United States army were
Officers and men, 92.4S2; cost of main
tenance, $97.0 3,g65.ST.
The authOr aaaarta that GarYnanV
could land fully $4,000 regulars within
the territorial limits of the United
States within five weeks. and that Great
Britain could put approximately the
in thirty days, but in the opinion of
military experts no nation would under
take to invade America with less than
100000 or 10000 troops, and Mr.. Huide-
koper declares the United States, there
fore, must have at least an equal num-
Der of trained men ready for service
at the outset Of hosttlities. I'm the
first place, this country will be Obliged
to maintain regular army which, on
a peace footing, numbers at least 250,OoO
enlisted men. The term OF enlistment
NUT be definitely fixed at seven years.
Would Graduate 125,OOO q Year.
He recommends a system by which
there would be graduated yearly I25,000
men ready for war. He condemns the
prevailing post system, and says: "It
Is an absolute impossibility that the
army can be administered or attain
that efficiency which II ought to pos
sess unless fully sour-fifths OF the gar
risons and posts in the country are
abolished" The War College, he says.
has estimated that an annual saving
of $5,0OO,00 could be effected II the pres
ent mobile force we're concentrated in
eight posts. 1t Is recommended that
the troops be stationed only at STRAIT
egic points which are additionally CEN
NnTu 70 fnV tTo YauT aV-saff Inn nd
ministration. and supply.
The author has made careful study
Of the militia, arriytng at the eonclu-
which was condemnatory. The act of
May q, 1908, which prescribed that "the
organized militia shall be called into
the service of the United States in
advance of any volunteer force which
II may be determined to raise" Is ad-
judged to be lone of the most fragrant
pieces of folly ever injected into the
military legislation of the country. So
long as it remains on the statute books
there need be no hope of our possessing
n sound military organization suitable
to the stress of war" Two solutions in
respect Of the militia are made Either
II must be taken wholly out of the
hands OF the several States and placed
under the absolute control of the Fed
eral Government, or, II 1t Is to remain
in State control, Il must be appraised
at its true value as a military asset
and relegated to the third line of de-
fense. In the latter event a force Of
United States volunteers ,Srastt must be be
men enrolled in this force of United
States volunteers should receive an in
tensive training similar to that given
to the Swiss, :"
Some Reforms Urged.
The crux of the whole question is
found to be In the matter of training.
as regards men, and From a military
point of view the problem of obtain
ing men In time of war would be tre-
mendously simplihed II military drill.
military hygiene, and the elements of
rife shooting were made compulsory In
every public and private school, as we'll
as in every college and university IN
the United States
Reforms in recruiting. the creation of
a council of national defense and a
complete reorganization of tho War
Department are among the recommen-
dation made by Mr.. Huidekoper;
Z. L. @.