Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-12-18
INSISTS AMERICA
Continued from page one.)


facts makes it clear that we are prac-
ticallv defenseless before the veteran
armies of our northern neighbor and
could easily be crushed by the existing
coalition of these island empires.
In discussing the national guard and
the national guard system, Scott en-
phasized the distinction between the
individuals composing the personnel
and the militia system and national
policy. He highly praised the spirit
and Willingness to learn that imbucs
the majority of members of this force
and the personal sacrifices made by
many.
Scott gave figures to show that:
The names og 47,757 men out of 90,
900 or more on the rolls of the militia
organizations called to do border serv
ice, disappeared during transition from
state to federal service. Of this num-
Der 27,456 were disqualified for physi-
cal reasons.
The number of men under the call
three months organized militia service
was 8l,263 enlisted or SO per cent of
the total number, the remaining 81 per
cent representing partially trained or
ganized militia element.
81 Per Cent Marksmen.
| "Of total of 90,S7I men it was
found only 81 per cent were rated first
class marksmen, 16 per cent were rated
Indifferent shots and SO per cent were
rated as entirely unframed"
Scott said the "sick report" of the
national guard constituted "the most
favorable showing made by these
troops"
He declared that the great loss in eff
fective strength eat a critical time''
amounting to about so per cent of the
original strength, 'seems enough to
condemn the system created by the old
militia law as an effective means of
making the organized militia depend
able force for war service.
Scott admitted he had hoped opera
tion Of the new militia law which went
into operation June last with its more
rigid exactions and requirements might
be at least partially successful
/ But the very eXactions,o he said,
(Which are necessary for attainment of
efficiency will undoubtedly tend to pro-
duce a distaste for service in the ma
tional guard among the classes of young
men who have joined it for social reas-
ons."
He said 81 1884 miltiamen have failed
to take the oath called for under the
new defense act, these men being held
i to service-under the law.
He said an active recruiting cam
paign for four months produced only
4 $4,000 recruits "a number. insufficient
TO fill vacancies caused by discharge
and casualties occurring during the
same period
/ General Woods idea.
f Not one-half of the regulars or mil
9itia units on the border today are at
war strength, = said Wood. owe bave
no defense We are unprepared The
only way to get it is by the universal
military training system.
"We must get it now and get it
quickly"
Wood bit off his sentences with a
ringing crispness. He referred to the
statement of former Secretary of In
terror Fisher who suggested plan for
I !" civic training with military feature
4 as @ by-product' as 'fplay on words. 2
fUniyersay military training weuId
make real democratic Americans of
us, :" Wood said. cit would divide bv
| 10 the murders in the United States. at
present about l26 to every million peo-
! pie. =
Wood outlined very briefly a plan hv
which, he said, an army Of 1000, 600
trained men would be available in few
years
In addition to our regular force. we
must have additional reserve forces n
said Wood "The proposed universal
military training bill win ultimately
meet the situation.
We should not wait any length Of
time to develop our citizen forces. In
addition to the plan in the proposed Hill
! we should begin to tram the Youths
at the year they become 10 years of age.
Six months intensive training in campg
is sufficient to give us wen trained priv
/ ate soldiers. make this statement aft
ter observations at summer training
camps. The non commissioned Officers
would require more training.
Array Of 100000
About l,030,000 youths reach the