The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-01-06

essticn. as Il has been i result reach
ed and by the Eety best mil
ifary authorize les this country has pEos
taced Il VIII not have eseaped YOU
notice that this pToposed systams tsa
nracf icaliyi the same. thing rs the
Swiss and 4ustralt Ian sygtems ieayF
ing out the Fsupervi siong of the public
schools and work herein Of military
and compulsory service. II
compulsory mil ttary service is. now
desired Sfor the country; and legisla-:
& lion. concerning It can be te1pec by
|fhe Congress, then a short prov sionI
IN the act Will accomplish It Suchsai
clause would provide that wherever
the quota required Of any district by
a certain date lis short Of the proper
number q selectiYe process to obtain
that NUM- Der shall be put into effect.
Turning to the question. Of the size.
of the regular army necessary to train
the Continentals and carry on the,
various military activities OF the War
Department in normal times, Mr.. Gar.
rison said It had been demonstrated
10 him that mobile force Of $4,000
and 10000 coast artillery troops would
serve all needs. Such force, an in
crease of nearly 10000 over the pres.
ent. army, he said, would be compare
lively inexpensive; would require no
additional quarters and could be re-
cruited. For these reasons he recon.
mended the addition OF ten regiments
OF infantry, four regiments OF Field
Artillery. 81 companies OF Coast Ar
.tfIlery fifteen companies Of engineers
and four aero squadrons to the pres
emit force bringing the enlisted
strength in two years up to 134,707
and the number OF officers to 1885.
"The officers and men OF the new
organizations are absolutely essential
I II the War, Department plan Is to be
fairly tried OUT" he added. In the
pIan OF the War College Division Of
1.-The General staff, an army OF about
| 100000 is SO: distributed thatAn con:
tinental United States, there would
| he feft $4,000 mobile army troops.
In the War Department plan, these
divisions are at peace strength, so
that they are capable OF expansion.
The War College Division plan pro
poses a two:year enlistment, with six
Years In reserve, and, eventually, at
the end OF eight years, makes up line
of 100000 men of the regular army,
of whom $4,000 would be with the
colors and $4,000 in reserve
II do not, for one, believe that you
can safely count on force that Is
made of those presently in the service
with the colors. plus those who are
through with. their service and are
back in civil life. scattered all over
the country, II the force is to be your
first line. In the plan proposed by
the War Department, the first line
would consist of those who are actual
Ily with The colors, that is those in the
regular army, who are actually serv-
ing and those in the Continental Army
who are actually serving. the re-
serves OF. these organizations would
be available Just as they would be In
the War College Division plan; .out
they are not counted upon as part OF
the first line.
"If anything whatever Of value is
TO be accomplished at this session OF
the Congress. certain general prin'
ciples must be recognized as underly-
ling the whole subject. sincerely
believe that an attentive study OF the
whole subject will lead to the conclu:
sion previously stated, that small
highly trained, highly effective, regu-
lar army, expansible in character, fed.
eral volunteers, raised, Differed and
trained in time of peace, and the. ma
tional guard for state uses, Is the best
solution.
with respect to the coast fortid:
cations and accumulations OF reserve
material 1t does not seem useiul 70
add anything to what Is stated In my
annual report These two matters re-
ouire an aggregate. OF $46,o00,00 a
year for a period OF four years, and
This OF necessity must be kept in mind
In dealing with any proposed policy"
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