Evening star., 1923-12-01

Increased appropriations for ma
.tional defense soon will become nee
essary. declares Secretary Weeks in
his annual report made public today.
because of the consumption of war
stock. which now enable US to oper-
ate at a disproportionately low rate
of cost, and because we are not able
even now to make the progress which
is necessary to fulfillment of the pur-
poses of national defense"
He points out that since 1921 the
total number of individuals under
military training or in military or
sanizations has decreased from 519,-
U41 to 504.O10. That. he says, does not
Therefore he advises strongly against
the slightest cutting of the budget
as submitted to Congress.
I'VE are already" says the Secre-
tary of War. "cut below our vital
needs. l am convinced that our people
as whole are in accord with the con-
structive policy under which we are
endeavoring to operate. l believe that
they will deeply approve the con-
structive craftsmanship which de-
mands that this policy. be fulfilled
complaints on the part OF the tax
payers. Americans have before now
proven their Willingness to give until
IL hurts They should now be encour-
aged to pay the moderate amount
needed. since the failure would mean
that they would pay many times more
in money and in lives in the future.
Have Not Kept Pace.
Il have shown that our defense
measures have not kept pace with
our increased prosperity and re-
sponsibility as nation. l have
shown that with less isolation than
ever before. with a greater need to
pendent purposes, we are In a state
Of unpreparedness, comparable only
to that of Germany, among the great
nations. Our new defense policy Is
a sound one. and IL sincerely sup
ported would enable us to defend
peaceful traditions. Our real needs
are greater, not less. than what we
have. Those who proclaim their be-
lief in the national defense act OF
1920 should be prepared to give 1t
the increased support which 1t de-
mands. They should remember that.
after all, the cost of national de-
fense is the price of freedom"
In specific terms Secretary Weeks
reaff1rmed his recommendations of
FORMER years tndt tHe euiiSteu
strength of the Regular Army be in
creased from it's present limit of
125.000 men to 10000 men lat the
earliest possible date
This strength is considered the
minimum necessary to make effec-
tive our national defense program"
he said. The present strength is
not enough. We are already cut to
a dangerously low limit on our for
eign garrisons and these cannot be
cut further. On the other hand. the
enlisted personnel in this country Is
tain the various training camps and
to operate them during the civilian
training periods in summer. AS a
result, the morale of the Regular
Army, the force that should consti-
tute our standard of military eff
cheney, is below what we should de-
mand of it,
Would Repeal Age Law.
Mr.. Weeks recommended repeal OF
the law requiring proof Of age for
Army enlistments, which he said OBJ
structed efforts to recruit the Army
and tended Ito discredit the service
our flag" He urged also an increase
of the commissioned strength of the
Regular Army to $4,000. as compared
with $4,000. the present limit.
Secretary Weeks analyzed statistics
of the current fiscal year. and de-
clared War and Navy Department
costs were roughly II per cent Of a
total federal budget of $4,000. .000.-
900, and he added that only per
cent Of the budget went toward
t'purely military activities" Against
the governmental costs. including
state and city budgets, he presented
figures to show that only 2h per
cent of the total is consumed by the
War Department and it's activities +"