The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-24
URGES
 COAST DEFENSE ID
 SECRETARY WEEKS
Military Preparedness on American Coast With Use of War Trained Men and
 Officers Is Newest
By Associated Press


 Washington, July 23.-Steps to
 establish a "nationai position in
 readinessv for the army as a de-
 veIopment of the national mili-
 tnry policy are forecast in
 memorandum recently submitted
 by General Pershipg to secre-
 tary Weeks and made public to-
 day nt the war department.
 Details of such plans as may have been already proposed by General Pershing are not disclosed. The gem eral nature of project. however, con- templates assignment of National Guard divisions to specific defensive positions on coasts and borders to which they would be rushed in the event of war.
 Critical Landings
 Under this plan," General Per shing said, "the military organiza- tions required to secure critical land ing places upon our coasts and favor able lines of advance upon our land frontiers can be definitely formed and prepared With. such initial or gasfization assured, the additional military units required for the full prosecution of serious war can be mobilized at once and brought to full strength without disturbance or ln- terruption.
 With our territory thus protected against landings in force at the start, and with the machinery for (, t f111lU genized, our fleet will be free 10 deal with the hostile naval forces without concern as to possible in- vasion."
 Economy Needed
 The plans are practicable, General Pershing said. if we can count on reasonable development of the eco nomical military system sanctioned by the national defense act.
 With Is divisions and appropriate auxiliaries of tho National Guard. supplemented by the regular army prepared force, expansion. and With certain special units formed In the organization reserves. he continued we shall be able to cover our coasts and land frontiers against serious invasion and then start.
 Such can induce any other na ton, but assures the impregnability of tho continental use in the event of an attack and any possible com bination."
 Posts Assigned . General Pershing pointed out that where a National Guard division might be assigned "a given beat | sector" for defense, 1t would be l ordered when mobilized at peace strength to this region. taking up a ' tr aiming area near enough to the ac- tual position so as to be imme- diately available.
 Had the United States in the spring of 1917, possessed 25 or 3t i divisions completely organized" Gen eral Pershing said, land only trained | sufficiently to meet the requirements | of the national position in readiness ! above outlined. each of these di- 1 visions would have been advanced many months as compared with the 1 entirely new divisions it was neces. sary to create. Under such circun. stances, the period of or beginning of the American offensive operations Gin France) on large scale would have been greatly advanced"
 The memorandum points out tha' the defensive machinery planned !' dependent on the large number oi war-trained officers available" ans also upon the more adequate sources of military equipment and material. as well as on the specific sanction given in the national defense act.