The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-23
Standing Army of 100000
Men Adequate, Says March
tcontinued from Page onep

| lenses that no probable or possible
| enemy can ever seize great strategic
| base on our coast. With such a base
| in his possession. it is not inconceiv-
able that he could, within a short time,
land a sufficient number of fully
establishing a line OF defense not in
comparable in length with that held
| by the Germans on the western front,
an AGRA including such an appreciable
portion of the resources and wealth OF
| the country as to result in ,conse-
| quences of incalculable moment to the
nation.
obviously such an attacking force
will be at it's weakest during the
period it is attempting to land its
army on our shores. During this period
only will it bs possible to nullify any
mum erical superiority of troops that
he may bring to bear by the resistance
of a trained and organized force of
relatively small size. Only by the
provision of such a force can we be
assured that we shall be able to hold
to our full advantage our greatest
military asset, by gaining the time re-
quired to develop our resources and to
organize an army which would be ade-
quate to anv contingency.
SIZE PROBLEMATICAL
The size of such a force, which is
essential of the country be afforded
that degree of protection which
sound military policy requires, must
be determined by consideration of
our extended coast line, by the neces-
sary dispersion of the force due to the
distance from coast to coast, and by
the necessity for providing for the
safety of the Panama canal and our
other insular possessions"
With a peace army of five corps
backed up by a system of universal
military training, mo foreign country
could. in view of our performance in
this great war, disregard our rights, :"
General March said.
The Siberian expedition was under
taken solely to keep open the Siberian
railroad and protect the Czecho- Slo1ak
forces, General March said, and paid
tribute to Maj Gen. William S. Graves,
commanding the expedition.
HE and his men have performed a
difficult and arduous task with credit
to themselves and to the country"
the chief of staff wrote.
General March disclosed the fact that
German agents succeeded. as early as
1918. in securing a copy of the secret
code of the war department. Tt was
replaced at once by an intricate system
OF confidential communication. Ameri-
can operatives, of the intelligence serv-
ice, he added were very successful in
solving the methods of enemy spies.
more than so important secret-ink
spy letters alone having been discov-
cred. Concluding his report General
March said:
The American soldier, from whatever
source, has, by his conduct and by his
reliance, cheerfulness, initiative, aggres-
,siveness and valor, won the confidence
and the unstinted praise of his comrades
in arms of all nations. The magnificent
performance of General Pershing and his
command in this war will always be a
source of pride to all Americans"
The report gives in considerable detail
the organization of the department as
>built up during the war and tells of the
work done both before and after the
arnlistice by each branch.
General March strongly urges that the
country take advantage of its present
military situation with 100000 trained
soldiers and 100000 trained officers, sup
plemented by equipment and supplies
adequate for any emergency of the i'm
mediate future, to write a definite and
contingent military policy. The annual
interest on the nations expenditures DUR
ing the war. $4,000 10000 would more
than pay for the scheme Of preparedness
he had mapped out for the army. he
said and attached to the report is the
final product of the general staff of the
military situation and needs Of the coun-
try in the form of reorganization bill
Secretary Baker is asked tc present to
Congress. y