The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-01-20
DEFENOU.S.
marlboro
SAYS
Former Deputy Chief Of Staff
Advocates Preparedness
for Wars Ahead.

NEW YORK, Jan. 2o.- without
definite plans for defense in keep
ing with its position in the world,
the United States is taking the
same chance Greece took ana
counting the same disastrous con-
SEQUENCES. Mai. Gen. James O..
Hartford, former deputy chief Of
staff. declared here stoday at .
luncheon given by the National
Republican Club.
Calling attention to the chaotic
condition Of the world, General
Harboard declared that within the
past four months two great cities
have changed hands, lin obedience
to more or less direct pressure OF
the Soviet government OF Russia,
displacing Great Britain in the one
case and Japan in the other.
Sees Germany Possible Ally.
"These cities are Constantinople
and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. at the OPP
posite ends Of the great continent
Of Asia and nearly 5000 miles
apart" he continued. please con-
slider this change in sovereignty in
connection with the fact that the
Red government of Russia Is main
tanning today by far the largest
army in the world. If, with all her
disorganization and her status as
q virtual outcast. among the ma
tons, her influence is felt so
strongly at such distances. the
world may well speculate as to
possible combinations to which
Russia may be a party, while Ger
many In the bitterness of defeat
and economic distress is seeking a
friend II not an ally"
Taking the case of China, the
general pointed out that this huge
nation with a population Of AGO.
600, 900 and "her standing for in
tegrity among the yellow races, /"
sat at the foot of the table at the
Washington arms conference. f"be-
low Holland. Italy and other second
rate powers"
Japan cable to Fight"
Near the head Of the table," he
continued, with less than a
twentieth Of her territory. and a
mere fraction Of China's population,
japan was sitting in the seats OF
the mighty! With less reputation
among the other yellow or white
races than China, why was Japan
in the seat of honor and China at
the tail Of the procession? The
whole world knows that Japan is
willing and able to fight A nation
has to have navy and an army
/ to sit at the head Of the table in
any world conference"
For the first time in it's history,
Hartford said, the United States
now has an adequate plan for ma
tional defense, but 1t Is of vital i'm.
portance that this plan be kept ''in
state Of fire-alarm readiness for
execution"
Explains Organization.
Going into the army organization
as provided under the national de.
Tense act, the former deputy chief
Of Staff pointed out that it pro.
vided for a professional force barely
sufficient to cover peacstine needs
Of overseas garrisons and for the
preservation of internal order, TO.
gether with professional
civilian force Of approximately
$3.50 officers and men, an aggre
gate of about half a million. This
force, he said, was less than one
Nun to every two hundred of our
pc IlatiOn and three-quarters OF
the force would be composed OF
non-professional soldiers.
at means bare safety against in
Vasion such as any first-class power
determined upon war, could inf1ict
upon us at any moment it chose, -
he declared.