New-York tribune., 1921-12-08
w eelxs Calls on
Nation to Build
Reserve Army
Declares People Must Lend
Financial Support and
Industries Should Be
Fitted for Production
Urges Larger West Point
Greater Surplus of Officers
Essential ; PresentStrengtl,
Dangerously Low. He Says

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.-Rcalization
OF the full measure OF national defense
preparations of the army awaits the
moment when the American people
throw themselves intellectually into
the work" Secretary Weeks maintains
in his first annual report. made public
tonight. .
"Planspow initiated for preparation
Tor national defense contemplate q
more complete state of preparedness
than at any previous period in the
peace-time history of our country" Mr.
Weeks says. I'VE have provided q
framework for defense prepared after
careful study. We have an adlninistra-
tive body qualified to direct and con-
troll the constructive development of
the framework. And, finally, we have
prepared the plans of development. All
of this is, however. of slight value
until the American people, who are the
source of material for the body Of our
defensive structure, throw themselves
wholeheartedly into the work.
ITO insure success they must lend
financial support to the limit OF the
Insurance demanded. The young men
of the country must train themselves
to be fitted into their places In the ma
tional reserve. The industries must
prepare to cooperate in wartime pro-
duction.
"The American people have started
xlcng this path, and they cannot afford
to turn back.
Present Period Important
"The present period, marking transi
ton from the high efficiency which we
achieved during the World War at the
cost OF a great initial waste of life and
treasure as the penalty of unpreparcd-
ness, must be characterized as one of
the most important in our history by
virtue of the duty which it imposes
upon Us of insuring that the lessons
of the World War are not lost, but
that they are perpetuated in enduring
forms OF organization and continuing
policy"
While outlining fully the extraordi
nary steps taken by the department to
reduce expenditures. and renewing
pledges to keep firm hand on the
purse strings in all that is done. Mr..
Weeks points out the places where, in
his opinion, too great limitation upon
appropriations will strike down the
machinery Of self-defense that has
been devised and make lessons of the
war vaiueless to generations to come.
Step by step he tells how the new
army = the regulars, the National
Guard and the organized reeerve-has
been brought into being. The "major
junction OF the regular army, he says,
IS 10 provide corps of trained In
structors in order that the reserve els-
ments of the force shall not be ssub-
5ected to the excessive dangers tina.
confront raw troops" if called for a
war emergency.
For this purpose it was essential,
Mr. Weeks says, that the regular army
this training. He adds that even if
the regular army 'is maintained at
its present dangerously low strength"
with many officers released for train
ing work by consolidation of units sx1e @
present commissioned strength will be
insufficient 10 fulfill the functions re-
auired by our national defense policy
when that policy attains its realization
through acceptance of military training
by the American people"
Army School Too Small
Declaring that at present the nation
can obtain from the Military Academy
approximately only one-third of the
requirements for the peace time or
ganization of the army, Mr. Weeks ex-
presses the belief chat the question
of the advisability of doubling the
capacity Of this institution in the near
future should be given consideration. -
Asserting that there is "no longer a
doubt" that graduates Of the Reserve
officers Training Corps machinery will
constitute the main source Of supply
FOR reserve officer material needed to
Ill out the skeleton organization, Mr
Weeks says the appropriations now
available for the summer training
camps for such officers limit the work
to total of 1905.
Paralleling the plans for mobiiiza-
tion OF the army in the event of war
Mr.. Weeks shows, runs a similar work
In connection with industries which is
meeting heary cooperation among
business interests. Also there is going
forward a study of all mechanical and
other developments in order that there
shall be no tagging in the technique
OF war behind the technique of peace
iul industry" Pilot types of new
equipment, "from the infantry hand
grenade to the heaviest gun Of the
artillery" the report says, are being
produced, and as they arc fully tested
and approved will gradually supplant
existing standard types both with the
troops and in the scheme OF quantity
production in war that underiies the
departments efforts.
Similar studies in the poison gas and
chemical warfare matters generally ore
in progress, Mr.. Weeks says.
In dealing with the, air development
Of warfare Mr.. Weeks says:
We are already much behind the
leaders IN such development, and there