Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-12-05
He Explains That
The Reorganized
Post War Force
Is a Group of
Public Servants
Performing Val
liable Peace Time
Services.
By MAJoR.GEN. HARRY C. HALL

BY MAJoR-GEN. HARRY c. HALL
7 AM a soldier and have been one
for forty years; but I am not
only a soldier, I am something
more-an American citizen; and it Is
as an American citizen that 1 am adj
dressing the readers of THE NEW York
HERALD. In writing this article in eX-
PLANTATION of the policy and activities
Of the postwar army feel that 1t is
to the greater interest Of our Govern
ment that the public should have a
clear understanding of the present
military establishment and its aims,
Both in peace and war the army
must work in the interest of our coun-
try alone-otherwis there is no reason
for its existence. il has no Interior
purpose. It is the servant of the peo-
pie, an instrument of the peoples
government. 1t earnestly recognizes
the part it must play in the conduct
Va NONtl lAIliClN anu II ANOIo NAAt@b ~
carry out it's manifold missions sue
cessfully It must be known to the peo-
pie and be willingly and cheerfully
maintained by the people,
1 believe that many citizens follow
changes in the military establishment
more or less infinitely, yet I feel that
a brief discussion of the present army
policy may prove of some value to
those who are not entirely familiar
with recent developments. Before the
world war the United States possessed
a small regular army and a National
Guard. The idea at that time was
that these two forces would act as a
first line of defense, that is, they were
to hold off the enemy until volunteer
forces could be raised in sufficient
numbers to insure success to our arms.
This policy had followed our tradi
tional theory, which has always as
sumed a minimum regular army in
peace to be expanded into maximum
citizen army in war. The defect in
this policy was that it postponed this
expansion until the emergency had
arisen, and thus assured, upon the
outbreak of war, the very condition It
sought to avoid, that is, unprepared-
ness.
Then came the world war. spacs
does not permit a discussion of our
part in this war, but it is sufficient 10
say that it forms a glorious page in
the history Of our country. We were
no sooner finished with It than the
question of the future defense of our
country came before the peop'e. APP
palled as we were at the carnage OF
the last four years and wise az we had
now become on unpreparedness we
We're ready for the question, what
shall our military policy be?. How
shall we provide assurance Of some
sort of adequate organization and state
of preparedness when the next emer-
gency arises?"
Two Points of View Arose
As to Measures of Defense
Two schools of thought soon de-
veloped. One called for system of
compulsory universal military training
and the other for a system of volun-
tary service only. The school of com
pulsory service Is based on the idea
that every made citizen has an obi
cation to the nation that protects him
and that he should be willing, and If
not willing, he should be compelled, to
devote a certain fixed period Of his
time to military training in time of
peace. The second school Of thought
advocated d small regular volunteer
army kept in a highly efficient state
and ready for any emergency at all
times; this to be backed by a second
line of defense in the form Of a volun-
teer trained force called the National
Guard; and finally, both Of these
forces to be reinforced and upheld by
great national volunteer organiza-
- ton called the Organized Reserve.
The first school Of thought--that is
compulsory universal military train
ing-was, after considerable discus
sion, rejected by our people. There
are many reasons for this unwilling
ness on the part of the American peo-
pie to subscribe to such system, but
one of these reasons, | think, is III
founded, and that is the fear Of what
is usually called "militarism" in our
country. The American army is a
conservator of peace. To be sure, II
stands ready at all times to repel law
: lessness and quell violation Of ma
tional laws or threat to the national
welfare, but "militarism" is as repug-
nant to the army as it is to our
citizenry,
The American army is a builder, not
a wrecker. 1t constructs; it does not
destroy. 1t works in peace as well as
in war 1t has been a national asset
in the upbuilding of our country since
its earliest history. Scarcely had the
Revolution ended than great ex.
ploring expedition, 1000 miles across
the country to the Pacific coast, was
sent out by President Jefferson, ant
the leader he chose was an officer Of
the army--Capt. Lewis. The early eX-
ploration of the Mississippi is a record
Of the army, with Wilkinson and Pike
as standard bearers. Young Long en-,
tered deep into the region of the Colo
RADIO Capt. Bonneville devoted Ave
years to a life in the midst Of thu
Indians of the far West and Capt
Fremont secured California to tht
United States. These army officer.
- clio .,vn,1i I,adfou Of eQlatnrc utrt