Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-01-22
Universal Compulsory Service
Better but People Of Coun-
try Would Not Approve of
1t at This Time,
FORCE 100000 STRONG
MINIMUM FOR WAR
Short Term Enlistment Not
Thought FeaSibIei Costs
500 Now TO Get Each SOL
dier to His Command,

hORNiN0 JOURNAL 6P6etsh thSeho "'NuI
washington, Jan. 21.--Unqualified
support was given Secretary Garri-
sons continental army plan before
the senate military committee today
by Major General Scott and Major
General Bliss, respectively, chief and
assistant chief of staff of the army.
Both amplified statements made on
the subject last week before the house
committee.
General Scott declared the plan
would save at least five months time
in building up an army OF defense IN
a war emergency He advocated mn
mediate organization of a reserve
corps Of officers actually commission
ed and assigned to the posts they
would take in time of war.
Importan Revenue Corps.
General Scott also urged that a
uuartermaster's reserve corps of en-
listed men be formed to include me-
chanics of all kinds. telegraphers ra-
do operators. motor-vehicle drivers
and experts, teamsters, railway men
and the like. A representative OF
the American Legion, he said, had
told him recently that 5000 men OF
this sot had been listed by the organ
ization who were willing to enlist in
such corps.
Both of the generals expressed the
opinion that universal military service
was the only ideal democratic meth
cd of building an army, but thought
the country would not tolerate the
proposal now. General Bliss said 1t
was My talked of by army officers
as an adadcmic question on this ac-
count.
100000 soldiers Necessary.
Discussing the detail of various
bills under consideration, General
Bliss said that proposed by the war
department was the only one which
appeared satisfactory or to contem-
plate definite policy The war col
lege division of the general staff, he
said. has fixed 100000 men, more or
less trained, as the irreducible mini
mum necessary for the countrys safe
ty in the first shock of war.
The proposal to increase the regu-
lar army to 250,000, as suggested in
Senator Chamberlain tentative bill,
he added, was wholly inadequate by
itself Moreover, he added. 1t was
impossible TO recruit a larger force
than 100000 men, as proposed by
Secretary Garrison for the regular
army, without increasing pay or 9TH
erwise giving added Inducements. he
read a report from the adjutant gem
eral declaring that it would be i'm
possible to recruit oven 100000 men
in peace times and that the average
maximum force that could be main
tained was only 10000. Recruits
now cost the government SlO0 per
man, delivered to their regiments, the
general said He disapproved short
enlistment terms to build up a regu-
lar reserve, saying this would make
II necessary to recruit 100000 or
more men annually.
Continual Army Plan.
Discussing the continental army
plan, General Bliss said he contcm-
plated 246 batteries of artillery which
alone would be worth all that may be
expended. The day had passed when
field guns are inaneuvered 10 any
extent, he said, and no consideration
need be given TO the question of pro-
viding horses for the guns.
Questioning both witnesses, Chair
man Chamberlain brought outs the
statement that the bill prepared by
Secretary Garrison had never been
submitted to the war college division
of the general staff. General Scott
pointed out. however, that the con-