The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-02

untrained men, except for their service on the Mexican border. In some states the situation is even worse. Nevada has pledged men. but has had not even a national guard organization for ten years. Entirely neglecting the prob lens of their equipment, drill and training. the matter of their organiza ton and transport alone will require many days"
 As the chief of staff had been speak ing an aid had been laying down upon the sea section of the great chart a number of small seed shaped blocks. AS the chief of staff gazed at them the eyes of the president and his advisers followed
 "What are those?" the secretary of the interior inquired.
 The aid continued to lay down addi- tional blocks as the general replied: 'Those are some of the transports of the enemy. According to the figures , which the general staff furnished the house some time ago, the number of the first eXpeditionary force sent to attack us was calculated to be in ex- cess of 25O,OOO men. We have no rca- son to believe the force now at sea is less. They are, of course, thoroughly trained troops, completely organized and d:.siplined, and have adequate SUD- plies e. ammunition"
 The aid placed his last block. The chief of staff bent closer and read the longitude figures. You have placed the transports where, according to our information, they were yesterday Stone said. He put his band over the blocks and swept ] them toward the American coast. "To- i day, of course, they must be 30l miles 1 nearer"
 Tie president, as he gazed at inc new position of the ships, wet his lips and 1 clinched his hands. The secretary of 1 war estimated again with his glance i the distance of the enemy's transports i from the coast and the distance C. the | points inland upon which were marked the numbers of the militia levies.
 "You will explain" the president di- reGted, 'the plan of the general staff | for the present contingency
 That part of the plan already under the authority of the general staff is being carried out, as you sec" Stone referred to the map. ''The coast de- lenses are being manned to their full capacity as rapidly as possible, and adequate ammunition is to be supplied 1 as quickly as it can be manufactured. The national guard of the coast states is being mobilized in its own states and will remain to defend it's own states until the objective of the enemy other states is being mObilzed, as you see, in its own states and as rapidly as possible will be concentrat- ed at secret railroad center. The regular army is being reformed so that each battalion at peace strength shall be the nucleus of a regiment at war strength, forming brigade, with the colonel as brigadier, the battalion con- manders as colonels and corresponding promotion of other officers and non- commissioned officers and with pri- yates made noncommissioned officers.
 "The navy should at once be concen- trated in Long Island sound, and the national guard of New York, increased to war strength, should be sent to Long Island. With this done and with the army concentrated at a point un- known to the enemy, it will not be feasible for him to make a landing south of Portland, Me, or north of \, Chesapeake bay without exposing him. self to the double danger of a naval attack and a land attack at the mo. ment of debarkation."
 with the probable result?"
 ."That the enemy would have to land in southern state, where he could do little military damage and where he should be left to roam, watched by cavalry, which would destroy all rail equipped from the New England fac. tories and hardened by training. is able to meet him in the open field"
 You mean to sacrifice the south?"
 The chief of staff turned patiently to the secretary of the navy. "I mean to choose no section of our country fo1 sacrifice" Stone replied curtly. '1 hope to force the enemy to occupy a section where, in addition to having to transport his munitions from over the seas. he will be obliged to bring all food for his soldiers also--a section which cannot be held by us if the northern Atlantic seaboard fall, but which may be redeemed if we hold oul industrial centers. To prevent the enc my supplying himself from our store houses, I ask that measures be taken at once to prevent foodstuffs from moving from the west into the sea board states
 "And starve our civil population The whole proposal is infamousI'