The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-03-02

carry it into effect.
The main essentials of the plan are:
One year of military training for all
BOYS in their nineteenth year, except
those employed for specific reasons.
Exemption to be extended to those
physically or mentally unfit and those
who are the sale support of otherwise
destitute dependents.
Training to consist of IL months
during the first year and two weeks
during the second and third years OF
a reservist's liability.
War service to be required of all
who have been trained in the first and
second reserve, the first reserve duty
TO extend over period of four years
and one month after training and sec
ond reserve duty for seven years. At
the conclusion of service in the organ
lied reserve the men would remain IL
able for duty until they reach the age
of 45.
Plan Defense Army.
In case of war the reserve would be
called out in their order, but further
exemptions of a temporary character
would be granted to those who have
become the sole support of destitute
dependents after training had been
completed, and those whose positions
in civil branches Of Federal or State
governments are indispensable to the
conduct of war.
Organization of the oversee garri-
son would remain substantially as at
present, regular, permanent estab-
lishment, fitted up bv volunteers.
There would be, in addition, small de-
tachments of regular soldiers for
frontier duty and also the training
units which would be employed to in
struct the annual classes of reservists.
It is proposed to recruit this training
force from the National Guard, or
ganized militia and enlisted force of
the regular army, as a considerable
increase over the present regular es-
Establishment would be required.
The sysopsis lays stress on the fact
that the plan proposes to establish on
ly "a reasonable measure of defense
of the United States from successful
invasion"
Training Requirements.
The amount of training prescribed
is estimated to be that absolutely nee
essary for defensive army and to
have no connection with the training
of any force for aggressive purposes.
The plan provides for the organiza-
ton of the first reserve into local
lied national army, complete in every
unit" fully armed and equipped, with
frequent tests to insure speedy mo-
bilization. Attendance at annual ma
neuvers would be required of all re-
servists only for the first two years
after completion of training; but
those who aspire to become officers
would attend during each of the ofur
years Of their service in this class.
The second reserve also would be or
ganized and localized, but would not
be fully equipped or required to turn
out for annual maneuvers. In effect,
the second reserve would operate as
a reservoir from which the active reg
iments of the first reserve could be
filled up without loss of time.
The plan stipulated that on its in
ception volunteers would be accepted
into the reserve, although past the
ages specified for the universal train
ing system. Those qualified would be
appointed officers and noncommission-
ed officers of the first and second re-
serve, although eventually both these
forces would be composed of men who
had received their full year of train
ing.
Trained Force of 100000
In round numbers the staff plan
would supply a trained force of g.
100000 men, with one year of inten-
sive military instruction. 1t is esti-
mated by the War College that ap-
proximately 100000 boys in theid 10th
year, would be available for training
annually. They would, under the
til 80 years of age, passing after the
first eleven months ftheir training
to the first reserve for the next four
years and one month, then into the
second reserve and finally into the un-
organized reserve until they reached
the age of as. The purpose of the
bill is to constitute the first reserve as
fully organized and equipped fight
ing force with strength of 100000,
ready to respond INSTANTLY to a call to
arms. The second reserve of equal
size, but only partly equipped, would
require some time to take the field.
Eventually there would be 100000
additional trained men ready to fill
the gaps at the front.
24,40O Regular Army Officers.
In addition to these forces, there
would be a regular army, composed of
men choosing military life as a pro-
fession, of 24,400 officers and 1885,
1856 enlisted men. OF these, $4,000
would form the oversee forces and
$4,000 the frontier forces, the remain
der composing the permanent training
personnel which could take care of the
instruction of from 492,386 to 654,-
292 reserve recruits annually. If the
proportion Of available men for train
ing was greater than the figure given,
the permanent training force would
have to be proportionally increased.
For State Constabulary.
AS to the future of existing State
forces, the departments sysopsis