Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1924-08-07
WAR SECRETARY EXPLAINS
DEFENSE TEST" PURPOSE

In reply to a request of clergy
man for information concerning the
Defense Test which Will be held on
Sent. 70, Secretary of War John w.
Weeks made the following state
ment:
"In acknowledging your letter l
wish to thank you for seeking OIL
cial information on the Defense
Test to be held Sept. IL. Nothing
will be done on that day to alarm
any sincere American citizen, and
our plans should meet with the ap-
proval OF all. except possibly those
who are opposed to any defense
against external aggression. Attach
ed are statements by Gen. Pershing
and myself which explain our plans
from a technical standpoint. How
ever, I would like to make several
points clear to you.
''In holding the Defense Test the
war department is merely obeying q
basic law of our country. The pre-
amble of the constitution gives ma
tional defense as one of the main OBJ
jects for which our government was
, formed. BY an act of congress in
l1792 the democratic nature OF our
military service was determined
when It was prescribed that all male
citizens between Is and 46 years of
age should be available for military
duty in time of war. The national
defense act of 1920 prescribes that
the Organized peace establishment
shall include all of these divis-
ions necessary to form the basis for
complete and Immediate mobiliZa-
ton for the national defense in the
event of a national emergency de-
ciared by congress- To fulfill the
expressed purpose of the constitu-
ton we have organized new citi-
zen army. and prepared a mobiliEa-
ton plan based on community OPP
Grafton in the spirit OF the act OF
1899 and in conformity with pro-
visions Of the act Of 1920. Such a
democratic conception Of national de-
tense will not only meet the re-
quirements of an emergency II it is
thoroughly understood by all who
have definite responsibilities under
it. The most practical way Of assur-
ing this is by public demonstration.
The event to take place Sept. IL
will be general mobilization. A
mobilization would mean the bring
ing of war strength in men, animals
and material, of the armed forces Of
the nation. Our military establish
ment will not be increased for an
instant on Sept. 18th. The defense
test" will be only a demonstration
Of mobilized plans, II will be an en-
deavor on the part Of the federal
government to inform our people as
fully az possible OF the present sta
tus OF our security. Our whole puf-
pose is to present to our country the
new citizen army OF the United
States and to indicate what action
would be taken in a national emer-
gency by our individual citizens and
by communities, IL our country is to
be defended successfully. The simple
demonstration planned might be
compared to fire drill in a school
for the safety of the children. Just
as fire escapes and exits are of little
value II the children do not know
how to use them, so also are the
best plans for our safety II our peo-
pie do not know what the plans are,
and what they should do in a crisis.
We firmly beiieye that our action is
in the interest of more intelligent |
citizenship.
1--WE are able to take this forward
step because our plans are purely for
defense and their object for peace.
We, therefore, need not keep them
secret. Our test will enable not only
our own people, but all people, to
our proposed plan of mo-
bilization. Open defense plans open
ly arrived at are merely practical
extension OF tbs principles underly-
Ing open diplomacy. "
Insofar as there is any founda-
ton for the assumption that people
are frequently induced to warlike
ACTS without realizing the conse-
quenees of these acts, the Defense
Test will be precautionary meas
're Everyone will be made aware
Of the sacrifices which war will rel.
quire OF him.
"The Defense Test on the other
hand, will apprize the world as word
cannot do, Of our friendly purpose .
rs nation. They will see that we ;
have neither standing army of J
lalf million men, like some of the 8
great nations, nor compulsory mill !
airy training. They will see a small !.
army reinforced only by
citizens who have undertaken to I