Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1923-12-07
CITIZEN ARMY URGED
AS NATIONAL DEFENSE
In PERSHING' REPORT
Reduction of Civil Training Hint
ed AS Disastrous By U. S.
Staff Chief
TRAINED OFFICERS NEEDED
Would Increase Present Armed
Force To 10000 Men and
$4,000 Officers

WASHINGTON, Dec. 7.-Condl-
ton of the national defense system
presents a serious problem which
should receive thoughtful conslu-
cratic MIRO mevery responsible cItl-
zen, General Pershing declared
TODAY in what will be his last an
nual report as chief of staff OF
the army. By the time the next
report is due, the former command
err of the American Expedltionary
forces will have reached the retire
ment age of "a.
Owe have made progress in the
organization of the framework oil
a great citizen army" he SAID
"but the total number of individ-
uals under military supervision has
decreased by $4,000 during the past
three years. This decline presents
serious problem which should re-
ceive the thoughtful consideration
of every responsible citizen"
General Pershing devoted his re-
port largely to the question of the
creation in time of peace corps
of officers to instruct our men and
to lead them in battle" Basing
his statements on the results of the
time he devoted during the year
to inspection of summer training
camps, he reported that reserve Of
ficers had exhibited readiness to
make personal sacrifices in order
to fit themselves for duty but that
the War Department had been able
to give them little assistance, the
truth being that we have neither
personnel or funds sufficient for
this purpose"
There has been temporary dis
ruption'' in the regular army as
was to be expected, he continued,
due to reorganization under the
national defense act. He added,
however:
With a full appreciation of the
need for economy, l urge that the
regular army be brought back to
the strength of 10000 enlisted
men and 1900 officers; that it
be suitably housed and enabled to
conduct #annual Hs4aroenxres on@ d
moderate scale; 88hat the national
guard be given the sapport neces
sary to gpermit ats progressive de-
velopment toward a strength or
250,000y that the skelet4A organEs
cation of the organized Seserves be
adequately maintained; that the
funds appropriated permit reserve
officers to receive an average of
Is days training in each three or
four years; that the reserve off
GERS training corps units be fur,
Their developed, and that p1ovisisnE
be made for a gradualR mctease ans
the number accommodated annual
ly in the citizen military training
camps."8
The officers reserve corps now
consists, General Pershing said, of
approximately $1,000 officers of
whom $4,000 are war veterans. An
nual requirements of at least T.
900 second lieutenants must be
provided to maintain the corps, and
this year only about half that nun,
Der were commissioned from the
reserve officers training corps and
other sources. During the last ifs
cal year there were about $4,000
regulars and 100000 national
guardsmen in continental United
States, or a decrease of 10000
from the strength of these two ele-
ments Of the army that existed il
1921.
Due to lack of funds, the report
said, enlisted personnel of the reg
ular army has had to be exploit
ed in performing non-military du-
ties in preparing and maintaining
camps of instruction" 1t added
that housing had been poor for the
troops but that fine morale and
cheerful spirits" was exhibited by
both officers and men even under
these conditions.
Present appropriations" said
General Pershing, shave provided
only for the living expenses of the
military establishment and have not
adequately cared for the upkeep,
nor for its progressive development.
War stocks of supplies have been
utilized to the maximum advantage,
and many articles are now exhaust
ed, The temporary shelter built
during the war has in most instan-
ces become unduly expensive to
maintain and is unfit for occupan-
cy.' Essential measures for the de-
tense of the Panama Canal and our
overseas possessions have been held
IN allegiance, although a number of
years would be required for their
completion.