Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-29
OVER MILLION
MEN NEEDED To
DEFEND COAST
Colonel Ham Tells How War
Department Board lnvesti-
gated "VitaI Areas" of Coun-
try and Conclusions Drawn,

the United States against strong
enemy was detailed to the senate mill
tary committee today by Lieutenant
Colonel w G.. Ham. member of the
war department board which spent
seven years working out defense plans.
The board visited and studied min
utely every part of the coast line. Il
reported in 1913. but its findings have
been held confidential by the depart
ment.
To protect the various areas from
Portland, Maine, to Norfolk, Colonel
IIaan added, the board had concluded
that a total Of $50. 900 mobile troops
would be necessary. exclusive of the
coast artillery supports and battery
personnel.
The needs of the Pacific coast he
gave as three divisions in the Puget
sound region: one at the mouth of the
Columbia river; three at San Fran.
| cisco and one at Los Angeles and San
Diego. Six divisions should be held
in reserve. he said
How large an army would these
plans involvc2" asked senator Cham
| herlain.
zone million and twenty-five thou
sand men to protect the critical
areas" Colonel Ham replied
Ships could lilo outside Of Boston.
Colonel Ham said. In discussing har-
Dor defenses, and destroy the navy
yard, the state house, the Fore river
works and the business district with
I nr A
guns. lie recommended that eight e.
inch rifles for direct fire and sixteen
| l2-inch long range mortars be added
to the defcnscs there, all with a range
Of more than 10000 yards against the
maximum range OF $4,000 yards of
the present guns.
4 Conclusions of the general staff of
| the army as to the country's require
ments for adequate defense were de-
| lineated by its members today before
the house military committee which Is
considering the administration army
| increase measures. They held that
! 100000 men-500, 600 regulars and
| 500, 900 reserves--would be needed
along the Atlantic coast and the gulf
from penobscot, Me, to Mobile, Ala;
| that 1t takes n year to train n soldier
| that arsenals and supply depots should
| he situated well in from the coasts
and at least 200 miles away from
Canada or Mexico that the Philip
pines were not essential to defense;
and that the danger points from for
eign expeditions were the north At
| lantic cities, san Francisco and Puget
sound.
THE United states should whip an
enemy at the waters edge Major
Andrew Moses told the committee. IF
a foreign power believes we can do
so the chances of war are less There
should be 100000 men prepared as
defending force for protection of
the coast against invasion, prepared
against possible loss of control of the
sea.
Great Brtains navy would so out
number us now that we would lose
control of the sea very soon With 4
combination of the navies of two pow
erful governments against us we
would not be able to hold the sea
thirty days.
Need Universal Training
Major Moses and other general staff
officers favored universal training in
peace time and universal service in
war time.
"ln event of war" said Capt. G. f. |
kilbourne, 'it is not likely that there |
would be any landing of troops SIM !
ultaneously with the outbreak Of war. |
Ii we had war with Englgand we
would have very little time; Germany. /
a longer time; France, whose navy is |
little ahead of ours, well, we'd have I
hopes Frances navy might never ar I
rive. But now and for some time to I
come the regular army is the only de-
pendable military asset of this eoun- |
try"
Captain Kilbourne said that the !
general staff had been working out the |
problem of defense from a foreign at I
tack on coast Notifications from the |
rear. The Pacific coast problem of .
defense he said. was less difficult than !
that on the Atlantic, for Oregon and |
Washington probably would not be in |
vaded because Of lack of railroads. |
The general staff disagreed as to |
AlaSkd, nut salu tncTe was no rear Oh /
attack Of southern ports.
Major L. ID. Lockridge explained |
that the war college plans for inereas- /
ing the army meant cost of $1,000 I
600 day when in operation and that /
an adequate force could not be built /
up for less.
Captain Frank S. Coeheu held that I
while retention of the Philippines was
not essential from military stand T
point, strong bases should be main
tanned at Oahu and the Panama canal. /
lie said careful study of the situa
tion had shown that Puget sound.
California and the north Atlantic I
states were the critical areas.
If any or all OF these areas should
be occupied by an enemy" he said,
they could be retaken only after APP
palling sacrifices.
Manila bay cannot be defended by
a force smaller than $4,000 strong.
but the holding OF oahu and the Pam
anna canal VIII aid materially in
home defense and both must be held.
Italy To Quit Durazzo.
Eeme Jan ~ ftla Inndan ON a |