The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1916-05-30
HAS
OVER MILLION
MEN FOR DUTY.
| MYERS n. MILITARY SIR
VICE WIE WITH W
SItCkERS N SIGHT

The Hague, Netherlands Nal 30
An army OF isoo0oo men as llol
lands military strength n ans future
European struggle IS the preparedness
program of the "Nolkswccrbaarheid
or national defense association. which
enjoys a state subsidy and had no
branches and nearly $4,000 members
4 Under iAis program every able. bod
ed man ana woman would be enlisted
OF the country S defense. there would
be universal service instead OF the
United compulsory system which now
obtains The association Is con,ine.
Ioi that freedom and Independence
can hc assured only when all who are
afle conscious Of their duty, prepare
yourselves IN service in the country IS
defense forces with view. in case
Of necessity to being able to defend
hose most sacred possessions Of the
nation"
The concrete scheme Of the asso
citation takes the form of general com.
ulsory training with limited ropcll
tlon training and service and local
md provincial training aud organiza
tlon Starting out from the princinle
hat the basis OF all defense mrst ho
the forming OF powerful race. the
program would provide physical ex
crcisc IN the schools and subsequent
preparatory training OF the youih cf
The country. After this the time act
nally spent in the ranks would ne
comparatively short. the association
argues. citing what has been seen IN
that respect in the present war.
only few of the large lcgies thus
obtained would suffice to form The
field army. Thence the men would
pass out into the local troops ter,
riioral defense forces These latter
would he so organized that. together
with the strong localized frontier and
coast guards, they could be ready TO
take the field in a few hours.
While the local troops" would in
the first place, serve for defensc the
field army would be destined for OF
tnsiye operations, The two together
would form n force Of about 500 00O
men, fully trained, while there would
still be a reserve in the deposits of
more than 100000 men. making up
the total of 100000 mentioned.
Summarized, this new national army
would be constituted as follows.
Frontier and coastal troops. iSi 500
men; field army. 10000. position
troops, 1880 marine 5000. local
Reserve, first ban, 100000 men: sec.
ond ban. 10000 men. total $40 600
men.
with such an army, which Is rep |
resented ms quite feasible. the old Ak |
iomatic principle of retiring behind
ne famous Dutch water line" night
le abandoned and positions taken m |
immediatel. behind the frontiers. the
a sociation points out
The basic idea Of the program is
said to enjoy wide sympathy and
support. and the plan is expected to
come up for serious consideration ia
lro form or another when the pres
IN. crisis is past.
In talk with the correspondent Of
The Associated Press. the Secretary
ii the Association laid special stress
m the fact that the women must also
la organized and trained to 60 oper
'le presumably largely in Red Cross
work.
Apart from its propaganda activ
les, the National Defense associa
ion has been instrumental in raising Il
learly 10000 volunteer Iandstrum
roops TO reinforce the mobiizcd
rmy.
Since its birth In 1899 the orgauiza.
on has provided extensive facilities
~ rifle practice and the requirement
other military arts. furthercd gym =
asiic and athletic clubs trained won =
b for Red Cross work. and fourded
immer training camps.