Albuquerque morning journal., 1922-12-04
ARMY STRENGTH
IS INADEQUATE, 4"
WEEKS DECLARES
We Should Seize the First
Opportunity to Bring the
Force Back to the Pro-
portions Required

Washington, Dec. 3.--The pres
ent authorized regular army
strength of 1900 officers and
$4,000 men is "inadequate" for
national safety and further cuts
would be Inexcusable," Secretary
Weeks declared in his annual re-
port to congress.
eve should seize the first op-
portunity to bring the regular
army back to the proportions
which are required" he wrote.
I'VE cannot ever again make the
mistake of expecting good soldiers
to rise overnight and good officers
TO be turned out in quantities in
three months periods.
I'VE are making progress, and
any progress is good progress. This
progress is, however, scant, and
not really enough. Any further
cuts would force us to lose what
we have gained, and would accord
ingly be ineXcusable.
at has taken time and money
TO build what we have. 1t has
taken blood and money to prove
that we have not, even now, what
we need. We should when practi-
cable add to what we have and at
tain to the progress called for in
our defense project under the
terms of the law"
Declaring the officer corps "is
really the backbone of our mill
tary system" Mr.. Weeks said that
security Of the future must rest
upon the foundation of our lead
ership."
Il do not belittle the enlisted
man-ours is the best in the
world" he continued. 1T is be-
cause l appreciate him that l en-
phasize the need for officers to
give the soldier his best oppor-
tunity to fight for his country and
for his life.
Must Have Officers
eve must have officers suffi-
cient TO handle the great army of
the United States. We have not
these officers now.
"Our reserve officers are first to
complain that their present lack
of training is causing them to lose
the knowledge they gained in the
war. Where is there any training
come from? Only through the
regular officers.
I'm my last annual report
stated that, with $4,000 officers
authorized, we would not have
enough to do all that might be
profitably done. Now | must state
that we have absolutely not
enough to do what is necessary
Fa4,
'I appreciate the urgency of
our financial condition that pre-
vents us from reaching our max
imum requirements. l can not be-
lieve, however, that the ignorance
of this need is fully recognized by
all who do, recognize the urgency
of the financial problems.
81 earnestly advocate a recon-
stituting of our officer body to a
minimum of 1900 at the earliest
date.
Peace Loving People
Mr.. Weeks said he was con-
fronted, like most of his Dredeees-
sors. with the necessity of appear
ing "before peace loving people TO
urge bluntly ano earnestly the
continued attention to their needs
for defensive preparedness"
aAIy conclusions are not entirely
welcome at this time, when peo-
ple have been hoping that nations
had learned to avoid conflicts of
force" he continued. "My conclu-
sions are, nevertheless, that we
should continue to prepare Tor
such conflicts.
"If it is unwelcome, it is no less
true that Americans, like all other
peoples, are subject to the law
which Furnishes those nations who
fail to prepare for defense, as well
as those who fail TO strive for
peace.
aWe are right to feel confident
in our strength. But we snail
never deserve and fulfill our des-
tiny except through the study OF
our past faults and the painful
eradication Of defects. A true
American must be not only proud
of our unvarying successes, but
also humbly aware that many oil
these successes were barely won
and that in all our conflicts sue
cess came only after the sacrifice
of Inanv brave souls to our indul'
gence of the tendency to be un-
ready" -
Only Bare Framework
Reverting to the present STATUS
Of the military establishment. Mr.
Weeks said that under the stress
of economy every element OF the
arny's preparedness program I'm
any sense non essential had been
eliminated and there remained
"ouly the bare framework" OF the
machinery of defense created by
the national defense act.
'fThe present tendency towards
cutting that framework makes 1t
necessary" he said, "for me to
warn that any additional cuts
would endanger our safety, since
the framework is already cut to
the point of uncertainty. Our peo-
Pile can not afford future cuts
which must We paid for by the
blood of American citizens"
Enforced reductions of the past
year, the war secretary said, had
resulted in measurable delay" In
upbuilding the national guard ele-
ment of the three-in-one army
plan.
1.-THE number of the guard have
been held down by the failure of
federal funds and equipment and
the training of units has been
somewhat handicapped by the
shortage OF regular officers who
were available and suitable as in
structors," d" he said "The states
have proven most eager to do theil
share in development. The citizens
have accepted the idea and sup
ported the units Loyalty. The ap-
plicants for enlistment have been
but finances stand between us and
complete realization of the OBJ
Jects of the (national defense) act
The actual amounts required arc