Evening star., 1923-09-13


probability his last of active serv-
ice under the flag, before he steps
aside that other men may carry for
ward the work.
Army Plan q Success.
rs the Army plan worked out IN
the national defense act of 1920 a
success?' Gen. ePershing said in re-
sponse to a Question YES. / can
say OF my own knowledge that il is
This year our summer training camps
have been the best we have had I
know that, for l have visited nearly
all Of them. 1t has been proved a
workable plan. 1t needs now but
the continued support of Congress
and the understanding and support OF
the people TO enter into the per-
manent national life of America and
assure us always OF a reasonable de-
gree of readiness TO protect ourselves"
1t is an open secret in the Army
that Gen. Pershing remained in active
service after the war and accepted
the post of chief of STAFF because he
saw ahead a service TO the flag
tiles, perhaps, than even his war
time service. He would not talk
much of that personal side of the
matter today, but turned back to the
great map to point out again what
had been done, what there was gtfil
to do.
1T is the same thing" Gen. Per
shing said, that my predecessor as
general of the armies, George Wash
ington. visioned and urged on Con-
gresS more than a hundred years ago
1t is the. machinery by which a volun-
teer army can be organized in peace
times. Therel is no danger of mill
tarism in 1t. These reserve officers
and their associates are centers of
patriotic effort and will help America
in the future in the things of peace
as surely as they would help in war.
1--WE are planning for test mobili-
zation, probably a year from now.
What l see A. 7 think ihl. Of that test
GERS assembled at their headquarters
on that day. A few Of them may have
to travel short distance to dfvi-
sions. brigade or regimentai head
quarters to which they are assigned.
But the company commanders of the
organized reserves would each just
tentatively select a building In the
town or village as his headquarters
aud stand by ready TO proceed with
the Organization. equipment and
he could list $50 men In that COM
munity who probably would be avail
able for service, but that would not
be necessary.
Such test mobilization would
mean merely that at an hour or on
a day set, the machinery we have
been building would be standing
ready to receive the men who would
were a real mobilization, the men
would be coming in, hrst AT their
company or platoon headquarters in
their home towns, and then through
the necessary weeks or months. gath
ering by regiments and brigades and
divisions to be sent forward to their
posts along the cost lines or else
where where the war emergency
called them,
THE thing that. we have been try
ing to do. is to slash away the long
delay of. Ie17 between the declaration
OF war and the time when the great
fSn fsntomments ~ oen We're ooc ready to receive
poured In upon them. AS 1t has been
now worked out, behind the frst-line
deterses of the regular and National
Guard divisions. the organized re-
serves would gather first at their
homes, living in their own homes
while their company organization was
perfected, their clothing and euuiD-
ment supplied through their own
divisional and regimental headquar-
tera nearby.
Then the battalions would be as
sembied, then the regiments the bri.
gades and finally the divisions be
brought together as going .organiza-
tions in the cautonments, each unit
preserving the local, hometown spirit
that our wartime plan OF 1917 could
not retain.
I'VE are weIl on our way to sue
cess in this plan. have HAD ample
proof this year not alone of the en-
thusiastic willingness of the National
Guardsmen and the regulars to play
their part in it, but of the apprecia-
tfon of the reserve officers of their
place in the scheme and their eager
ness to keep themselves fit and train
ed to shoulder responsibilities that
would be theirs in war.
"It must be remembered that this
Is an economical, voluntary affair, a
citizen army composed OF men who
| fully appreciate their 0blixations.
without doubt the men who are will
ing TO prepare for defense are most
alive to their civic duties Such ar
organization win make for good
citfzenshfp and is IN reality an frn-
! portant move for peace