El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-29
GENERAL STAFF
WANTS AN ARMY
Says 100000 Men Needed
to Defend the Atlantic
Coast From an Enemy.

Washington. D. c, Jan. 2e.-The
United States needs an army of 1.O0O,-
600 men to defend the Atlantic coast
against invasion by a foreign enemy
OF these. 900, 900 should be regulars
and 100000 reserves An. invader should
be whipped at the waters edge ana
not allowed 10 land THESE are con
clusions Of the general starr OF me
army voiced by staff members Friday
before the house military committee
The general staff recommends also
that arsenals and depots De situated
well in from the coasts, and at least
200 miles away from Canada or Mexico;
that the Philippines were not essential
10 defence. and that the danger points
from foreign expeditions were the
North Atlantic cities, San Francisco
and Puget Sound
should Whip Foe nj Coast.
The United States should whip an
enemy at the waters edge" Mai. An
crew Moses told the committee If a
foreign power believes we can do so,
the chances OF war are less There
should be 100000 men prepared as. a
defending force for protection OF the
coast against invasion prepared against
possible attacks of control of the sea.
Great Britain's navy would so outnum-
Der US now that We would lose con-
troll OF the sea very SOOn- with COM
bination OF the navies Of two powerful
governments against US, we would not
be able to hold the sea 80 days"
Maj. Moses and other general staff
officers favored universal training IN
peace time, and universal service in
Must Depend On Army.
In event of war" said Capt G E.
Kilbourne. 1T is not likely that there
would be any landing OF troops stimuli
taneOusly with the outbreak OF war
II we had war with England we would
have very little time; Germany, a long
er time: France, whose navy is a little
ahead of ours, well, we'd have hopes
Frances navy might never arrive But
now and for some time to come, the
regular army is the only dependable
military asset of this country"
Possibilities of Attack.
Capt kilbOurne said the general
staff has been working out the PROB
lem OF defence from a foreign attack
on coast Qualifications. from the rear
The Pacific coast problem Of defence,
he said, is less difficult than that on
the Atlantic, for Oregon and Washing
ton probably would not be invaded be
cause Of lack Of railroads The gen
eral staff disagreed as to Alaska, but
said there was no fear Of attack OF
southern ports
Means Cost of 100000 Day.
Mai P D. Lockridge explained that
the war college plans for increasing
the army meant a cost Of 100000
a day, when in operation. and that an
adequate force could not be built up
capt Frank S. Cocheu held that while
retention Of the Philippines was not
essential from a military standpoint.
strong bases should be maintained at
Oahu. and the Panama canal He said
a careful study Of the situation had
shown that Puget Sound. California
and the uorth Atlantic states were the
critical areas"
IF any or all Of these areas should
be occupied by an enemy" he said,
they could be retaken only after ap-
palling sacrifices
Manila bay cannot be defended by
a force smaller than $4,000 strong, but
the holding of Oahu and the Panama
canal VIII aid materially in home de-
fence and both must be held"