Evening journal., 1917-03-23

House and said that as soon as Con-
gress assembled he would reintroduce
his bill for compulsory service and
offer such other measures as may be
necessary TO bring the regular army
TO full authorized strength.
The fact that the Senate Military
Committee reported favorably on Mr.
Chamberlain bill for universal SER
vice shows that he will have the full
support of his committee for any in
termediate step he may have in con-
temptation. There is good reason also
to believe that his measure for uni
versal service will now have the sup
port OF Secretary Baker.
Mr.. Chamberlain said there we're
three steps that might be taken under
the existing military system for In
creasing- the armed forces OF the
Union. These are:
First To recruit by special meas
ures the regular army up 10 its full
authorized strength of 100000 officers
and men.
Second To call out the National
Guard and II possible recruit II to
something like 100000.
Third To call for volunteers. A. call
for 100000 men has been the figure
generally considered by the War De-
partment as a first step. The belief Is
that congressional authority is neces-
sary for this, though Mr. Chamber
lain thinks that under the act OF 1914,
as a condition of war already exists,
the President could now call volun-
teers TO the national defense.
The War Departments plan is be-
lieved to involve all OF these steps
as a defensive measure. regardless
OF whether II is ultimately decided to
send an expedition into Europe. al
though Il is possible that some form
Of compulsory service limited as to
the ages Of men affected may he sub
stituted for the volunteers The feel
ing Is that while the country may
feel secure against invasion az long
as the Allied armies are in the as
cendant, IL would be suicidal to act
on any other assumption than that
the country in war must be able to
defend itself
The three Immediately possible
steps outlined above would bring the
armed forces Of the country to about
10000 men, the number used as a
basis for calculation by the Treat
board in Secretary Garrison's time as
TO the force needed at once on the
outbreak of war.
But while the Treat boards report
shows that a proper preliminary force
OF mon may be easily available.
startling shortage exists as to equip
ment Mr. Chamberlain is determined
to remedy this shortage as rapidly
as possible. and this will be one Of
his subjects Of discussion with OFF,
cials of the War Department.
In a letter to Representative Au-
gustus p. Gardner. of Massachusetts,.
on January %. 1917. Secretary Baker
answered questions as TO the Treat
boards findings of the military needs
of the country. the actual equipment
I'm existence and the equipment au-
thorized. The equipment authorized
and already in existence falls far
short in every item of the estimated
needs of force OF 100000 men.
In commenting on this letter Mr..
Gardner quoted letter from the act
ing chief OF ordnance. showing that
the United States army had only one
field gun larger than six inches-a
7.6-inch howitzer-42 six-inch guns
and 724 field guns all told. This, said
Mr.. Gardner. was less than the num-
Der Of field guns used by the Russians
in the battle OF Mukden twelve years
ago.