Iditarod pioneer., 1917-03-24
WRITER IS MOST OPTIMISTIC ON COUNTRIES READINESS
 TO ENTER ARMED CONFLICT

Notwithstanding the deplorabe condition
 the United States has been in as regards
 preparedness for war, army officers point
 out that the army bill of the last session
 of congress and the extraordinary clrcum-
 stances which resulted in the construction
 bf enormous munitions plants here during | the last two years, have put us ln good
 condition for the present emergency. | It is added that the country can now provide ordnance and equipment for an
 army as rapidly as 1t can possibly be used in the event of war with Germany No censorship has been established off cialy but yet army men are reluctant to discuss the crisis for publication, except with the understanding that their names | are not to be used With such an under
 standing a prominent army officer recently allowed himself to be quoted as follows, says W. w. Jermane Washington corre- spondcnt of the Seattle Times:
 If it were not that Germany is now hemmed in by enemies whose lines she
 cannot break, I should have sent my family into the interior as soon as l heard that
 the President had broken off diplomatic relations with Germany.
 AS it is, no matter how rapidly the next
 developments come, there is not likely to be any condition arising that we shall be
 unable to foresee to meet with sufficient force to prevent disaster to any consider able portion of the United States Last summers army bill authorizes the President
 to take over for national use any plants, or even complete industries, that might be needed for army use.
 This applies not only to the time of ac- tual warfare, but when there is danger of war and so ii applies right now. It is hardly possible, though, that any such step will be necessary immediately; it is generally 1 believed that owners of such plants will willingly turn them over to the govern ment if they are needed, without making it necessary to commander them.
 Our little army is lnadequately equipped at the present time; there can be no dis putting that But through no effort for which we can claim credit we are fortunately able to turn out the equipment needed by armies far larger than ours. Recruiting since the passage of the army bill has, 1 understand, gone on more rapidly than is generally known.
 We probably have an army in the vicin- itv of l35,0 900 men now, and on paper, at
 least, a National Guard of some 100000. We are more deficient in our machine gun, artillery and alrplane equipment than m any other feature
 "The situation Is such however, that in all probability there will be more than time enough to make up these and other def ciencies before they can do any harm in the event of war.
 American soldiers in all probability will not be needed abroad immediately, even If war is declared The severance of rela- tions with Germany will in itself have tremendous moral effect on the men now fighting against Germany Declaration of war would have greater effect toward de featng Germany than would the winning of several important battles.
 Our navy, pretty we'll equipped now, would, of course, be the first arm of the service that would be called into action The British navy big as 1t IS, IS not olg enough to cover all points where warships are now needed, and the American navy could render valuable service. As for the army, however, 1t Is not impossible that the war might be brought to a close without our army being called into any severe ac- ton at all.
 It is impossible to tell just where and how it would be needed. l don't believe the officials in Washington would try to predict what would be needed or even whether single soldier would be sent across the sea.
 Tn any event, it is highly probable that hn to embark for the front until long after there had been time to improve the equip ment. and that the National Guard would not be called on to sail for months after that. It would take at least six months to equip and prepare the National Guard for sailing and the allies would hardly be able to make much use of our National Guard within less time than that.
 With intensive training and our present facilities for equlpplng men in emergency, citizens could be turned into effective sol diers in year, as is being done in England, and no circumstances can be foreseen which would make them needed before that length of time.
 "The situation Is such, however, that there is need of increasing our facilities for manufacturing ordnance and equipment. The allies need all we can turn out now. While we probably would not ally our selves with the countries now fighting Ger many, and would act independently off cially in the conduct of the war. we should attempt to avoid handicapping the allies by diverting their supplies to our own uses. That means turning every industry that can manufacture munitions and is not now