Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1916-01-20

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19.-Maj. Gen
Leonard Wood told the senate mill
tary committee today the coast line
OF the United States was open to at
tack by any well organized foreign
army, despite its 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 un-
preparedness for war, trained force
of 100000 men could inflict incalcul.
able damage before an army could be
assembled to meet =.
Events of the European war demon.
strated clearly, the general said, that
the sea was the best medium for the
movement Of troops and he pointed
out that force of 10000 men fully
equipped, had been landed at CALI.
poll from a single expedition of 9S
ships, against submarines, mines and
an underwater screen of barbed wire
which fringed every available landing
place.
Emphasizing his conviction that
troops cannot be improvised to meet
reFulars, General Wood said the fun
damental 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
Washington, he said, and if it had
been adopted Canada would have be-
come part of the United States in the
war Of 1912.
Only once in our history have we
leen 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 was very
brief 1t required only one note. be
cause 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
will have been born than have been
killed or injured.
You will have ali the gold, perhaps,
but it will not do you much good I'M
less you stiffen it with IRON
AS to the immediate needs of the
regular army, General Wood express
ed the opinion that the force of regu-
lars with the colors should be main
tanned at 100000 OF these, he said
10000 equipped and supplied for a
years time should be kept in the
Philippines; another 10000 in Hawaii
and $4,000 in Panama. He urged that
the regulars should have reserve
system under which. in siX-year en-
listment, men would be transferred
into reserve whenever their com.
panv commanders reported them eff
ficient, to be definitely assigned to
war stations. Equipment for mem
hers of the reserve would be kept at
their stations and once every two
years they would be required to join
the colors for 10 days training to
keen them up to date.
General Wood said that if universal
military service was not to be obtain
ed, he favored central army scheme
substantially as proposed by the wal
department, provided it is absolute
ly divorced from the organized mill
tia"
The increases for the regular army
proposed by Secretary Garrison. he
characterized as "absurdly inadequate
and indicating failure to appreciate
the lessons of the European war, par
ticuIarly as to the proportion of field
artillery" He recommended that the
proportion of field guns, be fixed at
five to every 1000 rifles or sabres
The present army standard is 3.s
per thousand, although in actual
equipment the regulars are nearer two
per thousands. The board recently
created in the war department has
fixed on SO per thousand as the num-
ber necessary.
Reverting to the condition of the
country to face war, the general said
the United States was utterly unpre
pared and knew nothing of the prob
lens it would have to meet. At least
100000 men would be needed, he as
serted, and they could be obtained, he
believed, only by compulsory meas
ures.
At present there are but 100000
modern rifles and 100000 old model
weapons in government arsenals, ne
said, and up to five days ago the ca
pacity of all American plants to pro
duce rifles was only $4,000 day
England alone he said, wanted 65,OOt
day, while France called for two
rifles in reserve for every man in the
field
General Wood was positive in as
serting that the national guard was
composed of a fine personnel, bu,
cursed by hopeless system, unless i,
could be taken over by the govern
ment and severed from any connec
ton with the states, he said, and il
should be abandoned to the states
entirely and not dollar OF govern
ment money wasted upon it.
1--WE should terminate the intoler
allie system" he said. "The soldier
element of the national guard all wan
rehabilitation No man who refuse.