The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-05-02
A Small Army Is A War Menace
According to Secretary Weeks, In
Speech Before Appropriation Com.

Washington. April 25.-The $780,.
geo enlisted strength Army bill, pass
ed by the House, provides military
structure below the safe minimum Of
the Nation, Secretary Weeks told the
Senate Appropriations Committee in
urging that appropriations for the
nert fiscal year, permit force OF
10000 officers and 10000 men TO
be maintained in the Regular Army
Should the House proposals prevail,
he added, not only would the regulars
suffer, but overseas garrisons would
be inadequate" and the development
% Citizens components Of our ma
tional defense system" would be ser
iously checked.
Il am aware OF no issue that at the
present time threatens 70 involve US
In international complications, "
Weeks said. There is no evidence
Of foreign designs against us; we
must, however, recognize that thru
out the greater part Of the world a
condition Of instability prevails which
renders the permanence OF world
peace uncertain.
Would Invite Aggression.
ut IL certain that 20 remain weak
and unprepared In the face OF such a
situation is 20 invite aggression. IL
is Moreover essential not only that
we maintain q reasonable state OF
preparedness. but that il should be a
matter Of international knowledge
that we are SO prepared. y
The Army needs stability more
than anything else. Weeks said, re-
counting the double cut in the
strength Of the force made last year
and the consequent reorganizing re-
quired
Weeks said the House bill made
Inadequate provision for the healthy
growth 81 the National Guard and
FOR ts proper field training As 20
Organized reserves" he pointed out
that it wae ought In peace times
only % create the officer framework
and the annual trimming Of the re-
serve forces. on whom the war time
machine would depend The War
Department had asked for only funds
20 train 10000 OF the G5. 900 reserve
officer during the coming year, as
no adequate provision" for keeping
up their training since the war had
been made, he said.
Weeks said he had been much inn
pressed with the testimony already
before the committee as 10 the ply
ical, moral and educational value OF
military training" statements by gov
ernors. educators and others on the
point had been most impressive.
he aid. and IN his opinion these col
lateral nonmilitary benefits" alone
justified the department trimming
plans and the expense they involved.
Service system Important.
The Army service school system is
II vital importance IN the national
preparedness plan. the war secretary
declared
As 70 the Army's gas warfare work
Weeks said that while ultimate ab0l-
ishment Of such warfare might come
by international agreement. 1T would
be fatal 20 1s 20 give up the series
81 experiments and investigation,
which we're conducted during the
war and have been carried on since.
until that moment mad arrived. As
10 aviation. he EXPRESSED desire that
provision for - development IN the
Army should be larger than the de
pariment was now asking. and add
ed
Il DO not hesitate 20 predict that
in any future war ~ Importance viii
be greatly increased
Could Have Prevented War.
The United States with adequate
military preparation and under
strong leadership could have prevent
ed the occurrence Of the World War,
General Pershing declared in testify
ing before the committee in behalf
Of the War Department. plea for an
increase in the military establishment
over that proposed by the House.
Failure 70 recognize the existence
Of ENVY. jealously and hatred
among all nations as among individ-
uals. he said. has invariably sent the
United States unprepared into a
great crisis and caused unnecessary
loss of life, and left us staggering
under financial burdens"