Evening star., 1924-11-30
ECONOMY NARMY
DECLARED At LIMIT
Weeks Says Pressure Has
z Reached Point Where 1t
Stops Progress.


United States Army now have reach
.1 the stage whero "a sound and
continuing policy with regard TO its
necessities must be seriously con-
sidered by the legislative department
Of our Government
In this connection the War Secre-
tary declared the Army's require
ments had been studied with care and
fitted into a 10-year program which
should he put into effect by Con-
gress "in manner that Will con-
form not only to the military needs
of the military service but also to
the financial condition of the Gov
eminent"
Pressure for ProgrcsS.
In another section of the report
the statement was made that the
pressure for necessary progress and
Improvement IS eveu greater" than
tho pressure for economy" The
Secretary recited IN detail the re-
tranchments made by the Amy In the
last few years in order TO affect
economies and keep within appro-
pria,ions made by Congress, and
added
With the funds allowed during
the past fiscal year, however, it has
the full mission of the defense forces
or 70 practice true economy"
The statement to Congress made
by President Coolidge In his first
message. pointing out that reductions
In the Army's commissioned and en-
listed strength had reduced its power
20 the danger point" and asserting
that further reductions should not
be made" was referred to by the
Secretary, who declared the Chief
Executives words now composed IAN
understatemeut of the necessities of
tiie case"
The Secretary advanced the opinion
that the time had come when the
country should look further into the
future when considering Army prob
lens and the year-to-year method of
treating such questions should give
way 10 a continuing policy of relief
and increased provision for the three
components Of the military service
the Regular Army. the National Guard
and the Organized Reserves.
Plan for Ten Years.
LAS we face this unfortunate situa-
tion, like the business man arrang
inS his schedule of work and his
plans for the allotment of funds. and
decide that relief is urgently needed
and must be spread over a period of
years." the Secretary said. I'VE are
faced with two determining factors
In American law and custom. The
estimated date when our process of
reha bilitation must be complete.
when the various treaties arising out
OF the Washington conference cease
to be effective. and when the super
annuation of the veterans of the
World War will have practically
eliminated our reserve of citizens of
experience in the field, would seem
to require that our plans for re-
habilitation and our expenditure for
that purpose can be spread over and
Dlust reach an end at the expiration
OF 10-year period. providing such a
plan and such expenditures begin to
be effective at this time"
After pointing to defects In the
Army esta ablishment, caused by short
age OF officers and enlisted men, and
again putting himself on record in
respectively, from $4,000 to $4,000.
and from 125.0o0 to 10000, Secre-
tary Weeks said:
"Our entire effort since 1920 has
been to apply the principles and pro-
visions of the national defense act in
such way that we shall have more
than mere paper Army, more than
the imaginary organizations upon
which the United States has always
previously depended for it's security
should major emergencies arise
Must Create Force.
IF future emergencies come TO the
United States. We shall have to
create virtually our entire force
after the declaration of war, which
will be a tremendous task. however
we'll conceived. Probably In no
other army in the world, conse-
auently, is it so important as In ours
that organization. material. equip
ment. training plans, and mobiliza-
ton projects should be as simple as
possible.
''Practicality does not thrive in
circumstances where shortage of Off
GERS makes il necessary to detail as
Instructors with civilian components
officers who have not had sufficient
duty with unit of their own branch
of service. Practically does not
thrive in inactive units, depleted
strengths. imaginary maneuvers,
paper plans, fictitious reserve stocks,
and theoretical weapons.
Our greatest peril today IS too
great a dependence upon theory to
'he exclusion of fact This Is the
danger against which the Army must
always strive. This ia the one i'm
nortant fact underlying the general
situation as we'll as the detailed eIe-
1nents of our present military situ-
alton. a fact of which the legislative
department of the Government should
take ample cognizance in considering
the practical projects which the
Army deems essential to the execu-
ton of the mission assigned to it by
law. Unless we are to live upon
Imagination the Army must have an
income that bears a tangible rela-
tion to its needs"
Clothed From War Stocks.
BY way of Illustrating some Of the
"deleterious effects of our period of
extraordinary economy" the Secre-
tary cited Il shortage of commissioned
personnel which, lie said, had reduced
the quota of officers on duty with
units of all components to less than
so per cent of peace requirements"
Lack of funds, he added. also had
made il necessary 20 issue clothing
to enlisted men from war stocks
giving commands an unmilitary ap-
pearance or compelling soldiers to eX-
pend large proportions Of their per-
sonal funds to keep up proper ap-
pearance in public.
This Is not the road to efficiency"
re declared, adding in the words of
former President Harding that there
ale limits in reduction beyond which
we cannot go, even In the praise
worthy cause of economy. without de-
stroying the excellent foundation
now laid for national defense and
forfeting the accrued benefits Of
World War experience"
Reverting to needs of the Army air
service, the Secretary declared for
Increased production facilities" and
an increase in our air service per-
sonnel in order to give us peace
force of 5000 officers and $4,000 en-