The sun., 1916-01-31
The Con ntlnentsl Army and the
First Line.

At a hearing by the Military
Committee of the Senate Major
General HUGH l.. SCoTT, Chief Of
Staff, said. according to Il report Of
the proceedings. that the continental
army plan had been approved by the
Army War College. General ScorT,
we are inclined to think. could not
have made the assertion without quail.
flying It. Mr.. GARRrsoN's proposn,
was Of "a force OF 100000 men, raised
in increments OF $4,000 a year. obli.
gated to devote Il specified time to
training for period of three years,
and then to be on furlough for a
period of three years without obliga-
ton except TO return to the colors In
the event Of war or the imminence
thereof" The training period for
each Of the three years Of enlistment
Mr.. GARRISON fixed at two months.
admitting in effect. however. that the
experts might want to increase 1t.
They certainly would require longer
period IL they were permitted to have
the last word.
Brigadier.G General NJ. NJ MAcoMB
in the Statement OF Proper Mill.
tary Policy for the United States"
prepared by order Of Secretary GARRI-
son, said: Twelve months inten-
sive training is the minimum that will
prepare troops for war service" Sec
rctary GARRISON proposed half OF that
time for the continental army and in
instalments Of two months a year for
three years. This body the Secretary
would put into the first line OF de-
fence as reinforcement Of the in
creased regular army Of l.S43. in
Guiding auxiliaries. I'VE should have
in this country" he said In his annual
report. "a force Of at least 10000
men ready for instant response TO n
call In the event Of war or the immi.
nence of war" Mr.. GARRISON had
hazily in mind n regular army reserve
made up of men who had served with
the colors. hut he does not seem tn
have included them in the first line of
$1,000 troops ready for instant SER
vice in the field.
The statement OF the War Col.
lcgc Division Is very plain on the
point of the first line Of defence: "As
the United States should have n mo-
bile force Of 100000 soldiers available
at home at the outbreak Of war
the army. with the regular reserve
should amount to this strength
Then the Statement" goes on:
In addition to ths 100000 fully
trained mobile troops mentioned above
at least 500, 900 more-a total OF 1000,
900 men--shoiild he prepared to take
the field Immediately on the outbreak o'
war, and should have had sufficient pre-
1vious military training 10 enable then
to meet a trained enemy within three
months. Twelve months intensive train
ing - the minimum that will prepare
troops for war service"
Now II is evident that the War Col
lege Division does not consider Secre
tary GARRrsoS'S continental army t6
he first line troops: in fact, II rates
them as partially trained volunteers
who must he worked over after wal
|, begins to make them fit to face thu
rnemy's regular troops. IL Mr.. GAR
RIsoN will double the intensive train
ing period Of the continental arm!
the War College Division may con
slider il eligible for the first line. Com
pairing his annual report with tn
Statement" there Is certainly not ,
meeting OF minds ms to the characte
and usefulness of the Federal volun
teer forces which he calls the cont
|, mental army.