The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-05-20
Our Plans For
National Defense

standing army below which it is high
ly dangerous to reduce already has
been reached.
Reviewing regrettable experiences
attributed to unpreparedness of the
United States in past wars, the gen
| eral writes that "as to the world war.
firmly believe that substantial con-
dition of preparedness of our land
and naval forces, backed by an ade
cuate merchant marine, would have
kept us out of the war, and would
have placed us in position to have
brought it to an early termination"
Moreover" he continues, "it is not
too much to say that under these con-
ditions and with strong leadership, we
might have prevented hte world war
altogether
In his article, General Pershing Wis s
ualizes the tripartite army which "wc
are struggling to create" under the
Reorganization Act of June, 1920, {,
welding of regulars, trained national
guardsmen and a large citizen re-
serve into homogeneous whole. He
pleads with his comrades of the
American Legion to support the mod
est estimates of the administration of
men and money needed to perfect our
well-considered plans for a basic or
ganization and for preliminary train
ing that We may avoid another humili-
ating experience before the world"
"The story Of American wars is one
of gallant deeds and great personal
courage on the part of the individual,
officer and soldier, but lack of prep
aration and training has always led
tc undue loss Of life and heavy finan-
cial burdens" the general writes.
"While we boast of having been vic
torious in our early foreign wars. it
was due more directly to the weak
ness of the enemy and his engage
ments elsewhere than to the exercise
of wise forethought in preparation or
to superior strategical or tactical abi
ity on the part of our own forces or
their leaders. We are prone to shut
our. eyes to these plain facts, a cond-
ton reflected in congress, which has
generally considered its duty we'll per-
formed if, after the beginning of war,
it has authorized the raising of an
army and provided for it's mainten-
ance.
"In the Civil War, even a small,
well-trained force would probably
have ended the war before the entire
country became involved, and would
have saved the loss of thousands of
lives and untold treasure on both
Sides"
At this point General Pershing ex-
presses the belief that American pre-
paredness and strong leadership might
have prevented the world war.
"Never until our last experience
have we sought a remedy for the
avoidance of past errors" he con-
tinues, "but after each war we have
gone serenely back to the policy of
saving a few dollars that should be
spent for moderate preparation in or
der to meet the billions spent because
of lack og preparation"
The new three-foid army, General
Pershing explains, would be built on
the structural framework taken bod
lily from the world war, so that the
traditions, esprit and prestige of the
great combat units would be perpetu-
ated.
"The combat component of the
Regular Army in the United States
is so small as to be almost negligible
in the event of hostilities with first
class power" the general declares.
Therefore, the National Guard must
under our adopted military policy, i'm
mediately take the field in great
emergency. This force must be train
ed and organized, ready to deploy
upon the declaration of war, as the
bulwark behind which the Federal
government will mobilize troops and
industries.
The organized reserves, constituting
the largest group in the war armies,
would not be maintained at strength
in time of peace, save for few train
ed officers and enlisted specialists
These, assigned to skeleton organiza-
tions chiefly in their own home towns.
would keep in touch with the army by
correspondence courses and summer
camps, while officers would be trained
in high schools, colleges and citizens
camps.
"Any arrangement that contem-
Plates our taking the offensive i'm
mediately upon the outbreak of a
great war is impracticable because OF
the immense expense involved in time
of peace and is impossible because il
would not be in keeping with our dem
ocratic IDEALS" General Pershing says
"The existence of such an armed
force would be militarism of a pro
nounced and Objectionable type. Blu
our initial role on land is defensive
and it is the National Guard with ou,
small regular army which is charged
with the fulfillment of this mission
Later, as the offensive becomes neces