Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-06
An Army of Fine Million.


In preparing for the a three-year basis
the Government plans enlist and train men in In
crements of five hundred thousand until 1t has
military force fully capable of defeating Germany.
This is the right policy TO pursue Now that we are
into the which the HohenzOerns have thrust
upon us it is duty to ouselves and to the world
to strike as powerfully BY so doing we
shall hasten the end of the red struggle and make
sure the triumph of justice and freedom.
Even apart from plans for sending an expedi-
tionary to Europe the development of an ell
cient fighting strength of from three million TO
FIVE million men ought TO be undertaken as a meas
ure of national defense. Every crisis in American
history has found the country unprepared' ana
though fortune has favored us we have paid dearly
for lack of foresight. Just what the present
war may bring forth in the way of responsibility or
peril no one can predict. The regular army and
the National Guard their present muster are bare
" a nucleus for the establishment Of an adequate
force General Staff officials declare that at least
three million trained should be made available
for home defense. competent army of that size
would relieve the United States of grave anxieties
and. perhaps would forestall dangers which are
now unknown or but vaguely suspected. Certainly,
a competent army Of three million, with reserve or
two million, would give pause to the hardest ag-
gressor who has ever dreamed of challenging our
rights.
If this is needful matter Of defense, 1t is i'm
perattve view Of contingent plans for sending an
expedition to Europe. The only safe and effective
way TO deal with the German autocracy, now that it
has forced into the arena, is to go aggressively
forward with every practicable plan for comprising
its defeat. We must combat its piratical U-boats,
bottng them from the seas if possible or at least
frustrating their purpose to starve England into
terms. We must support the Allies literally out of
our economic abundance and cooperate, far as
feasible, with their navies. But we cannot afford
TO pause there. We cannot afford to pause at any
thing less than complete preparedness for throwing
the nations man-power as we'll its moneypower
into the European balance OF all the foreign wars
it has fought since its independence was won, this
is the war which the United States could not lose
without disaster itself and TO the democracies of
all the world. Whatever number of American
troops may be necessary overthrow Prussian mil
tarism will be forthcoming. whether three million
or FIVE million ten million.
This does not mean that the Government will fall
into the error of sacrificing Immediate and practical
needs merely to place the American colors on the
battle front The President indicated the policy to
be pursued in this respect when he SAID IN MS ad-
dress to Congress:
I'VE should keep constantly In mind the
wisdom of interfering as little as possible in
our own preparation and in the equipment of
our own military forces with the duty-for 1t
will be very practical duty-of supplying the
nations already at with Germany with the
materials which they can obtain only from US
or by our assistance. They are in the field, and
we should help them in every way to be eff
fectve there"
1t will be altogether expedient however, to under
take the training Of army in increments of five
hundred thousand and by the time the first incre-
nfent thus raised is ready for field service our in
dustrial machinery will be able to furnish'a needed
supplies without interfering with shipments to the
Entente countries The important fact is that an
army of from three to five million is essential
to the nations security and success in the tre-
mendous task which is upon us. 1t is intensely
gratifying that thousands of patriotic young men,
realizing the need and duty of the hour enlist
ing in the army or the navy without awaiting fur
Their incentive or the adoption of conscript plan
TIL @-LIJ.- Co-,,o~4:or