The Washington herald., 1917-03-02
Army and Navy News
Best Service Column in CIT,

|
A navy second to none in the world and
an army OF 100000 men a year, under
universal military training. were urged
recently in an address before the Law
yers' Club in New York by Rear Admiral
French f. Chadwick, U. s. N. retired.
I'VE ourselves have come to the parting
of the ways" he declared. I'VE have
got to face the music Of actualities. We
can drift no longer. The first and funda
mental thing, II we are to save our coun
try as a distinct nation, is to recognize
that we are only in the early stages Of
| forming a nationality: that we must inte-
CRATE our many widely distinct elements
and not tend to disintegrate them through
the passions that have arisen during this
war.
There Is no question that we are going
to meet the European world at the end
OF this war strung to the highest pitch
| of efficiency. 1t will start out the new
| life with vigor. a keenness, and avidity
greater than the world has ever yet seen,
and the outcome Of the mighty education
Of war.
Every year there arrive at the age Of
| IS about 1,ooo.oco young men in our coun-
| try. 1 would have them automatically
enter the army for one years service. Such
number OF enlisted men would require
permanent force OF 5000 officers and
10000 noncommissioned officers. I would
let but few escape on account Of defec-
| tive physique, for benefit to such is part
| Of what We are after.
THE nav Is a much easier matter to
deal with. A force of 10000 men will meet
our needs, and this number at least
should be available by enlistment. I'm
| til the world shall have arrived at
condition OF permanent peace, I would
have af1oat the most powerful navy in the
world. 1t is our only real defense against
| foreign attack"
> The adjutant general Of the army has
issued the following circular letter in the
interest of recruiting for the regular
army:
Those who are interested in prepared
ness can render no more effective service
at present than by using their utmost In
fluence to recruit the regular army to
the strength authorized by law. Do not
overlook the fact that the regular army.
as well as a volunteer army, Is composed
OF volunteers, and that both form a part
Of the army OF the United States. The
regular army is already organized, but
needs additional men now. A volunteer
army, in addition to the regular army.
can be organized only under special au-
thority of Congress and is not in ex-
istence at present. Under the laws in
force the conditions of service as to term
Of enlistment and opportunity for return
| to civil life after service with the colors
are practically equal in the regular army
and in a volunteer army.
The regular soldier serves three years
with the colors and Is then entitled to a
furlough to the reserve, which relieves
him from further active service in time
of peace. He is also eligible in time of
peace to be furloughed to the reserve
after one years service with the colors II
he Is reported by his immediate COM
mander as proficient and sufficiently
trained and is serving within the con-
tinental limits OF the United States.
Thus, under normal conditions. the
service with the colors in the regular
army. at the option OF the soldier, is
three years. and the minimum service
with the colors is one year Uhder the
law, the term OF the enlistment of the
volunteer Is three years. but these vol
unteers will be mustered out in less
time II peace is rstord. or the menace of
war ceases. 1t is unlikely that the mini
mum time of service with the colors will
be less than a year. A man who enlists
in the regular army is Immediately plac-
ed in training under competent instruc-
tors and under officers who know how to
care for him and how to teach him his
military duties in the shortest possible
time.
Should organizations which have been
professionally enrolled with view to
rendering their services for the national
defense desire to enlist as a body in the
Infantry of the regular army, recruiting
officers will be sent promptly, upon re-
quest to the home rendezvous of the or
ganization to accept those who may be
qualified. and all those men who desire
to serve together will. upon enlistment.
be assigned as far as practicable, and
within the limits of existing vacancies. to
the same regiment. All enlistments made
in this manner must necessarily be indi-
vidual and in the grade Of private"