The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-12-08
MUST SUPPORT
NATIONAL DEFENSE
Secretary Weeks Announces Policy Is
DeyelOped-Wants More Students
al West Point

| WASHINGTON, Dee. 8-Reaiizatior
of the full measure of national dcfens,
preparations of the army awaits the mo
ncnt when the American neople '"throW
! themselves wholcheartedIv into th5
WORT, - Secretary Weeks maintains in
his first annual report, made public last
.Pians now initiated for preparation
for national defense contemplate a more
complete state of preparedness than al
any previous period in the peace time
history OF our country Mr.. w eeks
says. 1--WE have provided a framework
for defense prepared after careful study
We have an administrative body quail
fed to Direct and control the construc-
tive development OF the frame work.
And finally we have prepared the plans
II Development All of this is, however
Of slight value until the American PEG
pie, who are the source of material for
The body of our defensive structure,
throw themselves intellectually into
the work -
While outlining fully the cxtraordi-
nary steps taken by the department TO
reduce expenditures and renewing
pledges TO keen q firm hand on the purse
strings in all that is done, Mr.. Weeks
points out tire places where in his opin-
ion too great a limitation uDon apDrO-
nriations win strike down the machin-
cry Of self defense that has been de
yiscd ard make lessons of the war val
ueless to generations 10 come.
- rs we decrease the SIZE Of oar stand
Ing army the secretary asserts, 1--WE
should increase the activity of our ir-
structional work among citizens. We
cannot afford to let the numbers OF our
reuular officers decline. Ne7+'~'' can We
afford TO permit their quality to be low
cred. -
Declaring that at present the nation
can Obtain from the military academy
approximately only one-third of the re-
QuirCments for the pcGcn time orgaRi-
zation of the army, Mr.. Weeks eX--
presses the belief 80 that the question OF
the adviSabldv Of doubling the cana-
.itv of this institution i'm the near flu
ture should BE- given consideration.
This step. he adds. ''would pre-
mare us for effective solution of n nrob-
lem that now appears inevitable. y
Similar studies as the poison gas and
chemical warfare matters generally are
in progress. Mr.. Weeks saws. adding:
Though we NAV be opposed in prin
chile to the use of poison gas. 7 am of
the opinion that we cannot s8fPI~ nrc-
sumo Il similar attitude on the part of
possible opponents and neglect the de-
velopment of chemical weapons if we
wish to insure successful defense in
q possible war. 7 hope for continued
support of this activity by congress and
hv the chemical industries themselves
In dealing with the, air DEVELOPMENTS
Of warfare Mr.. Weeks SAYS:
eve are already much behind the
leaders in such DEVELOPMENT. and there
is Thus in our present project for ma =
tional dcfersa defect that is one Of
It's salient features
The report points ont that commercial
aviation is an essential factor in ade-
auate DEVELOPMENT for war in the air
ard tFat other nations are promoting
aircraft DEVELOPMENT commercially
through direct subsidy.
''Tn q very short time ii continued
1T Is ooncaivablc that we viii be de-
fciert IN air force for defense unless
evoo+1r o-'1poyt and Encouragement are
~royided -