New Britain herald., 1923-12-07
PERSHING WARNS OF
 LACK OF BIG ARMY
Makes His Last Annual Report as
 Head of U. 5. forces

Washington, Dec. 7.--The condition
 of the national defense system ore
 sents a serious problem which should receive thoughtful consideration from every responsible citizen" General
 Pershing declared today in what will be his last annual report as Chief
 of Staff of the Army. By the time the next report is due. the former Com mander ot the American Expedition ary Forces will have r, ,ached the re- tlrement age of 64.
 We have made progress on the or eanization Of the framework of a great citizen army XNN," he said. but the total number of individuals un- der military supervision has de- creased by l5.000 during the past t}nee years. This decline presents d st rious problem which should re- ceive the thoughtful consideration of every responsible citizen.
 Are We making real progress to- ward the modest goal which we have set for ourselves. or are We falling back into the unprepared condition which has heretofore existed in this country"
 General Pcrshins devoted his re- port largely to the question of the creation in time Of peace Of a corps of officers 10 instruct our men and to lead them in battle" Easing his state ments on the results of the time he devoted during the year to inspection Of summer training camps, he report cd that reserve officers had exhibited readiness to make personal sacrifices in order to fit themselves for duty. but that the War Department had been able 10 give them little assist uuce, 'thc truth being that We have neither personnel or funds sufficient for this purpose"
 Temporary Disruption.
 There has been "tcmporary 1isrup- tion' in the regular army as was to be expected, he continued, due 10 re- organization under the national de- fense act Hc added, however;
 T wish to emphasize the fact that l this can be but a temporary phase, Our regular organizations must once |. more receive the training necessary | to make them models Of efficiency and | 10 prepare them 10 take the field at any moment,
 With full appreciation of the 1 need Of economy. l urge that the reg tilar army be brought back tn inc strength or l5o.u enlisted men and ig,0o0 officers; that it be suitably housed and enabled 10 conduct an- nual manocuNres on moderate scale! that the National Guard be given the support necessary 10 permit its pro- Eressive development toward strength of 95uhga: that the skeleton organization of tho Organized Re serves be adequately maintained, that the funds appropriated permit reserve officers te receive an average Of 15 days training tu each three or four yoars; that thc Reserve officers Training Corps units bc further de- ,cloped and that provisions be made for a gradual increasn in the number Hecommodatrd annually in the cili- zaH military raining camps
 The officers reserve corps now con. slsts. General prrsbtng said, of ap- prosimateIy 77,ono officers Of whom 51.oon arc war veterans. Annual ITO. placements o' at least 7,o"o second lieutenants must be pro, ided Q main- tain the corps and this year only about half that number were coms missionod from the reserve oaiccrs |, training corps and other sources. Dur t ing the last fiscal year there were about a2.oeo regulars and 1g0,hnn Ma 2 tionsl Guardsmen in cintinontal Init cd Statss or d decrease Of 59.nOe c rom thr strength of these tae clc- mcnts oi the army that existed iu 1891.
 No Further Cuts. We cam moi contemplate q further rcduction," General pershing de- clarcI. Due to lack Of funds .tho report said. enlisted personnel Of inc rngu- l. lar army "has had to bo exploited in ,ional Guardsmou in continental Unit preparing and maintaining camps Q! It added that housing had been poor for thr troops but that ' "Hur morale and cheerful spirits E was exhibited by both officers and mon etrn under ihesc conditions. "prtsent appropriations saiI Gen orat PershiDG. ''hafn provided only I for the living expenses ol Inc military and ha&r uut adequate ly cared for the upEccp thereof nor