The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-04-25
Army or 10000
rs NOT SUFFICIENT
Falls Below the Safe Minimum Re-
quirements' of United States,
Says Secretary Weeks.

Washington, ID. c.. April %. The
10000 enlisted strength army bill
passed by the House provides mill
tary structure below the safe mini
mum requirements" of the nation. Sec
retary Weeks told the Senate appro.
priationS committee to-day in urging
that appropriations for the next. fsca
year permit force OF 1900 officers
and l50,0GO 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 Of '.citizen compo-
nents OF our national defense system
would be seriously checked
II am aware of no issue that at
the present time threatens TO involve
us in international complications" Mr..
Weeks said. There is no evidence of
foreign designs against ny. We must.
however. recognize that throughout the
greater part of the world, condition ef
Instability prevails which renders the
permancnce Of world pescc uncertain
1T is certain that 20 remain weak
and unprepared in> the face Of such a
situation is to invite aggression. II is.
moreover, essential not only that we
maintain a reasonable state OF pre-.
paredness but that II should be 4 mat
Ter of international knowledge that we
arc so prepared
The army needs stability more
than anything else, Mr.. Weeks said.
reconnting the cut in the strength If
the force made last year and the conse.
quent congratulations required.
IF this situation il to continue from
year to year" he added. 1T must have
a serious effect upon the development
Of our whole system OF national de-
Tense"
Mr.. Weeks said the House bill made
inadequate provisions for the healthy
growth Of the National Guard and for
lis proper field training As to the or
ganized reserves he pointed out that Il
was sought in peace times only TO Gre
ate the officer frame work and the an
nual training of the reserve officers on
whom the wartime machine would de-
pend The war department had asked
only funds to train 10000 Of the $1,000
reserve officers during the coming year
as mo adequate provision for keep
ing MP their training since the war
had been made. be said.
Mr.. Weeks said he had been much |
with the testimonial al
ready before the committee as TO the |
- ,..l .Is 1..r
,f military training" Statements by /
governors, educators and others on the |
1oint had been most impressive" ne
aid. and in his opinion these eollat
.ral non military benefits" alone iusti-
led the departments training plans
md the expense they involved
The army service school system was
# vital importance in any national pre-
'aredness plan, the war secretary de
Jared.
~It is an interesting fact" he added,
that although our army school sys-
EN- was only partially developed be
ore the war. its graduates furnished a
cry large percentage Of those officers
Who were most conspicuously success
MI in the DAYS of actual war"
As TO the gas warfare work of the
rmy. Mr.. Weeks said. that while ult;-
nate ab0lishment Of such warfare
night come by international agree.
nent. III would be fatal for us TO give
Ip the series of experiments and inves-
igations which were conducted during
he war and have been carried on since
until that moment had arrived" As 20
Walton. he expressed the opinion that
hs provision for its Development in
be army should be larger than the do
srtmcnt was now asking. adding
II do not hesitate 10 predict that IN
ny future war its importance Eiil be
realty increased