The Delta independent., 1922-09-08
OUR ATTENUATED ARMY

OUR ATTENUATED ARMY
Washington, Sept. 6.-To get some
idea of the defamation of the United
States Army caused by the Appropria-
tion Bill for the fiscal year 923, it lis
only necessary to state that the en-.
listed strength of the army was, on
the score of economy, cut from $780,
900, as provided for in the National
Defense Act of 1920, to 125,000 as at
present authorized This is 100000
below the number provided for in the
National Defense Act of 1916.
Congress having spoken, the army
has moved steadily to its task. The
missions of the Army, assigned by the
Defense Act 1890 were IL TO train
and develop the National Guard and
the Organized Reserves, the two great
branches of citizen soldiery; (2) to
maintain the necessary schools for
the training of officers and enlisted
men of the three components of the
Army, Regulars, Guards and Reserves !;
(3) to maintain the administrative
overhead for the three-party Army;
(4) to provide peace and war garrisons
for our overseas possessions; (6) to
maintain well-trained force for emer.
gency purposes and to serve as a
model and demonstrating force for
the two bodies of citizen soldiery,
How to succeed in these missions with
force less than As per cent of that
provided in the Act assigning them
was, of course, the great problem
which the War Department had to
meet.
The first thing to do was to deter
mine how this reduced army, which
represents one soldier for each $500
citizens, could be disturbed among the
several arms Of the service. The dis
tribution arrived at is as follows: In
fantry, 46,423; Cavalry, 9.871; Field
Artillery, 12,026; Air Service, $500;
Engineers, 5000; Signal Corps, 2,184;
Quartermaster Corps. 5000; Finance
Department, 1898; Ordnance Depart.
ment, 2.307; Chemical Warfare Ser
vice, AS; Medical Department, $3.50;
d. E. M. L., 5.704; Unallotted, 104.
The force held responsible for the
maintenance of law and order in our
overseas possessions numbers 28,277,
apportioned as follows: Philippine Is
lands, 1872; Hawaii, 1875; Panama,
1856; Porto Rico. LIZA. This leaves
for use in the United States SO, ,723 en-,
listed men for the performance Of the
many duties assigned under the Ma
tional Defense Act.
"In the distribution of troops in the
United States," says the War Depart
ment. "the greatest reduction necessar-
lily had to be made in our coast de-
fenses and in the mobile force. BY
tho mobile force is meant that force
used for emergency purposes. for the
protection Of our southern border, as
q model and demonstrating force for
the citizen soldiers, and as basis for
expansion in the event of an attack by
another nation or group of nations. 1t
was impossible to reduce to any con-
siderable extent the number of men
ellotted to the overhead Of the three
part Army, to the school system, and
on special duty with the National
Guard, Organized Reserves, and r. o.
T. c." This force which under the Ma
tOnal Defense Act was to consist of
LOT, 900 men, must operate with 43 900,
q substitute being found for the divis.
fonal organization in the reinforced
brigade. and the training centers aban-
doned.
If public opinion with respect to the
whiting down Of the Army was re-
hected in the Appropriation Act which
slashed it SIS per cent, the public will
at least be glad to know that the War
Department has made the loaves and
fishes perform miracles in the way Of
distribution. Certainly the times war
rant no further reduction in our mill
tary forces unless we wish to blow
TAPS" over the remains Of the estab-
1ishment.