New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-20
1000, 900 Reserve Troops
Urged BY General Wood
Continued from page I

provide TO abolish the present right to
purchase discharge and permit volun-
tary transfer of man TO the reserve
when his commanding officer certiiies
taat he has become thoroughly
t'alncd soldier.
i would pay the Icservist about $50
a year and that would help Va 10 Keep
track OF him. Rut do not believe We
Should have much trouble with that
believe our men would play the game
The sea ports are full to-day OF rcscrv
lsts rom European armies, entirely
beyond the reach of their own laws,
who are yet making every effort 10 get
back home and do their service. n our
people arc not going to do that, then
o. course we're gone, anyway
u think the details OF modifying the
reserves can easily be worked out. For
instance. | would have each man at
tachcd 20 some particular organization
His equipment would be there. the OH
GERS would know who he was and he
would know where 70 go ! should have
the organizations get together about
once every two years for couple OF
wccke' field drill and dressing over the
machinery.
Under a universal service system,
the general said there would be sou.
coo men between eighteen and twenty
five years Of age on whom the burden
Of military duty would rest. counting
on only 80 per cent of the men at that
age lie believed, however, that ever :
citizen should be held liable for some
duty 10 the government IN case Of war
Chairman Chamberlain then asked
the general opinion of the bal! whlrA
Chairman Hay Of the House Commit
tee prepared. IL includes the Carr
son recommendations for Continental
army and an increase Of the regular
army TO about 100000.
More Guns Are Needed.
THE Hay bill" said the general
Seems TO me entirely inadequate as a
substitute for a regular establishment
OF real strength. Particularly, tho rec
concentrations for field artillery are
absurdly inadequate and show an utter
failure TO appreciate one OF the most
vital lessons Of the present war. 1t IS
simple insanity not 10 realize the
change in conditions and act on II, for
il is matter of years. rather than
months. 20 prepare artillery.
In reply 10 the suggestion that uni
yersal service would cripple industry
General Wood pointed out that military
training abroad had caused 10 per
cent increase IN industrial efficiency. rs
well as a higher degree Of morality
The continental army plan. he said
would give much better results than
the militia. He did not blame the on
cers and men Of the latter bodies, but
declared the system vicious. He would
offer all that wished a chance TO come
into the Federal system, and would
then withdraw all support from the
state troops and count them out RS n
real military asset
General Wood was asked about Sec
rotary Garrison's plan 20 increase the
appropriation 10 the militia, in spite Of
tie continental army plan. spending
money on the militia. when we have q
Federal volunteer system he declared
els a scheme Of tremendous inconsls-
tency; besides that. it's simply putting
the other hand in the pork barrel. No
man that wouldn't come into the Fed
eral system is worth spending a cent
on The two things state militia ana
continental army are impossible TO
gether You would simply have two or
CARNATIONS bidding against each other; ,
Bidding for recruits, you mean
asked Senator Weeks.
"No, for money
"Reservists OF other countries IN the
United States are sufficient In them
selves TO cope with our army. are they
not?" suggested Senator chamberlain.
There are certainly enough 70 cope
with our nineteen reservists,' replied
General Wood.
Our reserves ought 70 he twice the
strength Of our regular establishment
y we ever had a serious war az least
100000 men will be needed. lhere
is one thing that is absolutely neces-
sarv. and that is TO have more officers
in discussing the need Of big sup
plies Of munitions the general pointed
out that the United States could not
supplv an army for months after war
broke out Even its present capacity
he said. was an accident resulting from
the Europcan war. but even to-day the
rife-making capacity was only 300 a
dav. and II would still be months be
fore the country would reach the ca
pacity demanded Of II by the European
war orders.
81 think that one OF the principal les
sons of the war has been that we
should spend enough money steadily
with the big manufacturers OF the
country" said General Wood, 80 that
they could keep their plants and a nu-
cleus Of trained men together. Their
We could get quick results when wal
broke.
The doctrine OF government manu-
featuring means deterioration In botf
the material and supply without such
government support YOU couldn't ret
men when needed on enough produc
ton. And you can't do 1t in time Of
war Modern war comes too qulc6 y
It's matter Of days, not months, be
fore the storm strikes
at would be wise, too, TO keep some
Of our plants in the Far West. An
army striking the coast near Bridge.
port and ranging up 10 Boston ana
down 10 Philadelphia would put out OF
action &c per cent Of all our munitions
plants. We should have some IN the
Middle West, beyond the Mississippi
rpc rrrrrON MEPCuANTC