The sun., 1916-12-07
War S~ecretary's Annual Re-
port Makes No Mention Of
Real Preparedness.
DIsAPPOINTS ARMY MEN
Border Mobilization Held to
Have Shown Need Of Recrea-
tiOnal Programme.

throughout the regular army. II makes
no mention Of the problem now under
discussion Of putting the United States
IN . position Of real preparedness for
var.
After reviewing the mobilization of
the National Guard on the Mexican bor-
der and touching on the confusion and
dif1culties which attended II. Secretary
Baker dsduces a the great lesson to Be
derived from II I need Of q suitable
programme Of recreational activity for
soldiers during periods Of enforced inac-
tivity."
Army officers who have read the re-
port pointed out to-day the unfortunate
impression which sitruistic statements
q this nature have made. The army
view b that the mobilization should have
taught the Government many far reach
ing lessons Of tho greatest importance
II there Is any hope that the country Il
10 be placed in a condition Of real de-
fence. II has taken six months to get
the National Guardsmen In shape whore
II would be safe TO risk ar engagement
with Mexican bandits and It would take
" years before any military COM
mander would think Of pitting the
euardsmen against an army Of q hrst
etAa Power. Yet. II IL explained. with
these striking lessons Of unpreparedness
staring the country In the face the Sec
fetary's chief concern IL for = pro-
gramme Of recreational activity for the
guard.
PaciAst Ideas.
Let me put the suardsmen through
four hours work III the morning and four
hours In the afternoon m they will be
Giad to hit their hunks" In the way o. n
ofioer put II. There would be no talk
Of recreationai activity forming the
chief concern of the guard"
In a general way Secretary Bakers
report shows he Is working against in
stead Of with the army leaders. There
= nothing in his report to show that he
has imbibed the practically unanimous
sentiment Of the army with respect to
the necessity for universal service. or
with regard to the utter collapse OF the
Hay scheme of Federalised militia. The
feeling 10 that Mr.. Baker II leaning
strongly toward ultra pacihst ideas.
which are now unaffected by political
issues Fear 10 expressed that the White
House 10 indorsing this idea. and army
officers point out hat the President. %
far a. they know. has never nee dur
ing his entire Administration consulted
with an officer Of the army or the navy.
They believe 1t IL high time for him to
get the views Of military experts, and Il
10 certain that this phase Of the pre-
p~aredness question will be thoroughly
aired in Congress.
Much Of Mr.. Bakers report 10 merely q
historical resume Of questions which
have been exhaustively discussed. such
- the workings Of the national defence
act. preparedness legislation enacted BY
Congress. procurement OF military sup.
plies. need NJ machine gun &c. Atten-
tion Ia called to the progress OF aviation
In the army.
Referring to the present situation In
Mexico n on the border Secretary
Baker says: Disturbances by outlaws
and bandits In northern Mexico have
continued n rowing bands Of various
numbers have moved through the terri
tory harassing Mexican forces and raid
ing Mexican communities. but they have
not ventured an attack upon the people
q the United States.
Fall Force Not Needed.
"In the meantime the militia forces on
the border have been drilled, their or
CARNATIONS perfected and their person.
mel accustomed to life In camp in the
performance Of their defensive duty. On
the advice Of the military commanders
II has been determined that full protec-
ton can be given on the border without
utilising the entire force OF the National
Guard in The service OF the United
States. The number Of National Guards
men on the border 10 substantially no.
600. officers and men.
"The National Guard In, both by law
and In contemplation Of It's members. the
limo OF defence Immediately back OF the
regular army. 1t 10 organised for the
purpose Of responding quickly to emer-
Rency calls. but our country has been
6ingularly free from international boun-
dairy difficulty which required more force
than could be found In the organizations
Of the regular army within the country.
The sort Of duty presented by the Mexi-
can difficulty. therefore, Is unusual and
may we'll have been unanticipated. The
readiness with which the militia re-
sponded to this call was most gratifying.
n when the transitional condition In
which 1t was found by the call Is remem-
bered the COMMISSIONS and difficulties at
tending the mobilization will seem In
significant in comparison with it's sue
cess and with the splendid spirit with
which both men and officers of the Ma
tional Guard responded"
Secretary Baker says: MANY valu-
able lessons will be learned from this
mobilization experience which the de-
partinent hopes can be applied in further
organization Of tho National Guard. Al
yet 1t Ii too soon to sum up In detail all
OF these experiences, nor would It be Just
to the Guard to measure It's response 10
this need by a mere statistical exhibit OF
It's condition at the time OF the call or
the time OF the transfer OF it's units 10
the border. In this connection. however,
] desire to point out mat under modern
conditions one of the great needs Of the
army organization is a suitable pro-
Eramme OF recreational activity for sol
oilers during periods OF enforced inactiy.
ity."
The authorized strength Of tho regu,
lar army on June 30. 1915, wa 5,0ls
of1cers and l22,S93 enlisted men. and the
actual strength 4.S43 officers and s7.0ll
enlisted men.
Secretary Baker. in referring to prog,
ress In aviation says: 1.-The project fol
the development Of the aviation sec,
ton contemplates seven aero squadron,
Tor the regular army, twelve squadron
for the National Guard divisions ant
hve for the d%efences on both coasts, be,
sides aerOstatic units for the mobil,
army and coast artillery. The person
mel for these will be made UP from ON
GERS and enlisted men Of the regula,
army. OF the reserve corps md Of tn,
National Guard units"
Orders have been placed Cor proposal
Solicited) for 4ls aeroplanes. accordin,
TO Mr.. Bakers report. These machine
include 81 two plane reconnaissance,
biplanes. 120 advance training aero
planes, "a primary training %aeroplanes
IL one plane pursuit aeroplancs. 1856 tw,
plane reconnaissance hydroaeroplane
and . two plane land combat ~aeroplanes
GOlden-BrOwn.