The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-08
FOR AIR DEFENSE
States Short of FaciIi-
ties, Says Pershing.
Annual Report Includes Plea
for Army of 10000.

Washington, Dec. s.-America must
be prepared to take the immediate
defensive" in he air IN case OF war,
and to so expand its air strength that
it eventually can assume its offensive,
General Pershin declared today in
his annual report as chief of staff of
army
This is the basis of our present
defense policies with all our arms and
should be considered a minimum, the
general of the armies continued =
very important part in such defen-
sive would be the operations OF an
effective air service
General 7er hing said he desired to
call attention to the condition or the
air service today and the fact that
there existed z present shortage OF
facilities and personnel for COM
pletely balanced and adequate service
OF this vital component OF detense-
NO man can estimate with present
certainty the value which can be as
cribed in a few years TO the possession
of an adequate resourcefulness IN the
air" he said. 1T is certain, however,
that the influence of air power Will
become increasingly great and that the
nation cannot afford to neglect TINS
arm.
Take Immediate Defensive.
The air service which we develop
shouId be apabIe of offensive apph-
cation. This does not meal that We
must Immediately build an air service
that could take the offensive agalhst
any great power or g up OF powers;
IT does m n, no ever, that we should
have a force that ca take the i'm
mediate defensive. and that cam our
ins a reasC-.able period or operatlons,
expand to the strength required boE
an offensive"
The report said the reserve of air
planes for such a policy and even IA
cnities for personnel training We
ind n
air ways of our country are not pre-
pared for an emergency
II earnestly hope, therefore, Cen
eral Pershing added that early STEPS
will be taken to bring about the eL-
fective cooperation of states with the
agencies of the national government
to the end that this vital need can DC
effectually uned-" .L
army and post war reorgan1zauohs
the general said he had WltneSseo
with appreciation the accomplish
ments of the present admlnlstratlou
in attaining efficiency and economy
of operation, and it has been a source
of distinct pride to observe the re
fs,,onse of our military personnel ne
pointed out, however that ne resar roeu
the army at it's present strength OF
$4,000 officers and $4,000 men as
sibeIow the minimum required for ef-
fective performance of our various
Need 100000 Men.
at is my conviction" he said, that
our regular force is out too much Tor
safety and that a strength of at least
$50, 900 enlisted men and 1900 oI1l-
GERS should be permanently 1l1eo as
the minimum
Outlining the plans Of the depart
nent for future mobllizauons' GEN
eral Pershing said.
'In our general plan for emergency
mobilization, il is contemplated that
in a mai ior eventuality our regular
army would expand from its limited
peace strength to form nine infantry
divisions; our national guard, also
kept at a very low peace footing
would form Is infantry divisions, and
the organized reserves, always a mere
skeleton in time of peace. would form
27 infantry divisions. each to furnish
a proportional strength in corps, army
and general headquarters units
For the organized reserves this
contemplateS a total of 33 infantry
and cavalry divisions and nine groups
of non-divisional units. These are al
located to geographical areas on the
basis OF density of population.
"As one looks back upon our ex-
perience at the beginning of the past
year. it Is easy to appreciate what
tremendous advantage this would give
us were our forces again required to
mobilize. A glance at the estimates
involved in the fulf.Ilment of this plan
will also give assurance of the rela-
lively. insignificant cost of the project,
as compared to the money wasted dur
ing the former mobilization.
FINALLY, the resulting mobilization
would be of a character that night
well dismay the most stubborn adver-
Kary and hence would in advance be
OF great weight in the maintenance of
peaceful relations"