Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-21
WAR MAY COME ANY DAY,
SAYS MAJ.-GEN. CARTER
Any Military Policy Adequate to Ma
tons Needs Must Recog-
nize This Fact.
INSTANT READINESS REQUIRED
Lays Before Committee Report Sub
mnted Last April to Garrison.
Which apparently Forms Basis
Tor Continental Army Scheme.

"ASHlNGTON. d. e.. january 90
Any military policy adequate 10 the
cations needs must recognize the fact
,hat wars come suddenly. and ,hcrc
must DO instant readiness 20 meet the
!. attack. said Ma jor-tienera William II.
carter. recently retired. in Il statement
so-day before the Senate Military Com
mittee.
War is a condition which may he
forced upon US amy day through diplo-
matte notes, he said. without action
by Congress" Grea; Britain's dccla "a
zion OF war against Germany and the
Japanese attack upon Russia were cited
as illustrating the possibil,'ies.
General Garter laid before tha yom-
mtttee report submitted by him 10
the Secretary OF War last April before
MS retirement. and while lie was COM
mander of the Department Of Hawaii.
IL was prepared ut the Secrctary's re-
quest for his views AS to a proper mill
tarE policy for the United States. and
IL seemed evident. he said. that it
formed the basis for the continental
army scheme. even 10 the name. which
Mr.. Garrison has proposed.
General Carter recommended in
creasinH the Standing army 10 $4,000
men iu the United States; that the
Federal volunteers he organized ami
trained on the basis OF an infantry
regiment Ia each congressional district,
and tina, additional! appropriations he
made for tho militia.
INSTEAD or PERIOD
oF INTENSIVE TNAISISG
Instead OF Il period Of intensive train
ing for Federal volunteers. he proposed
that colonel for each volunteer rcgi-
meni he appointed from tho regular
army and also Il noncommiSs toned s;aff.
If the troops were enlisted for two
years. aad trained in such ways as
might he found practicable in each dis
trict. lie said. about the same amount OF
instruction could be given as in six
months Of intensive training.
Like all other regular army officers
who have appeared before the Military
Committees. General Garter thought
compulsory military service was tho
omly means Of fully insurirg the nation
against attack though he believed Il
unHise 20 attempt 10 enact such Il
measure at present. saying that the
young men OF the country should he
given an opportunity TO come forward
as volunteers
Plan WOULD PRODUCE
SMALLER REGIMENTS
While General Cartcr's rccomme nda-
tons for the regular army contemplate
about the same force as that proposed
by Secretary Garrison. he has sug-
gcstcd a radical change in organization
for all armies which would produce
smaller regiments. and, therefore. a
greater number Of units. The huge
regiments Of several thousand men
used in some European armies. he said,
were wholly uusuited 10 American CON
ditions. and he dismissed s no; worthy
OF consideration the suggestion tina,
siHteen-inoh howit.ers would he needed
for ;hc mobile troops American roads
would not permit the use of such
weapons. he said, auI III any defensive
wa, the country might become involved
in. ther. would be much open lighting
and little trench warfare. For that
reason. he ADVOCATED reducing the size
Of tactical divisions. returning to the
lessons OF the Civil War. American
roads, lie said, would not permit the
handling of great bodies OF troops over
parallel routes i'll many places, rs was
the case III Europe. and training OF
general officers for field operations was
Imperative. lie remarked that he Has
himself the only American army officer
who had commanded tactical divisions
in the field in the last forty years.
Chairman Chamberlain accepted the
generals offer Of his services in aiding
the committee in drafting it's military
bills. He had much 10 do with writing
The organization Law under which the
army now operates.