Evening star., 1925-12-04
DAVIS MUST PASS
ON OWN REPORT
Receives Recommendations
He Made While Assistant
Secretary of War.
By the Associated Press.

Secretary Davis of the War Depart
ment has the unique distinction of
having before him for approval a re-
port signed by himself on his own aC-
tlvltles as Assistant Secretary of War.
Ihe document is his annual report S
Assistant Secretary to the Secretary,
and was signed by Mr.. Davis before
secretary Weeks resignation. al
.hough the former Secretary did not
act upon any OF its recommendations
eaVinG that to his successor.
AS Assistant Secretary and in
charge of the general War Depart
ment procurement program. as we'll
4S OF the industrial mobilization plan
nlng, Mr.. Davis stressed in his report
ne Importance of representation of
his office in the departments bud
getary supervision machinery.
1t has seemed TO me of paramount
Importance, he said. that in con
Slderation of the Army budget, my
office should be represented in order
70 assist In presenting the point of
view of the supply branches. Past
history has indicated that in general
the appropriation needs of the supply
branches are sacrificed to those of
personnel. condition which can be
temedled only by constant watchful-
ness and continuing effort"
Weeks Approved Plan
The arrangement for such S,Iper.
vision by the Assistant Secretarv's
office was made with Mr.. Weeks APP
proVal during the period covered by
the report.
Explaining the methods for co-ordi-
mating supply purchases and shaping
them TO the best available market
CONDITIONS, the Assistant Secretary
said he had established contact with
other governmental agencies in order
to obtain estimates on future market
conditions as to commodities the
Army would purchase in quantity in
any year. This information had been
provided 10 purchasing officers in
time for them to take advantage and
Plan their procurements under most
favorable market trends. he said.
The report also disclosed that plans
have been completed in a tentative
way under which unified control of
the railroads could be exercised in a
war emergency of major proportions.
Ii was formulated after extensive dis.
cusslonS with the Association of Rail-
way Executives and is based on the
statute authorizing the Secretary of
W ar to take over the roads but CON
templates that actual operation and
the carrying out of general policies
VIII be left largely TO existing railway
rganizations
Reserve Stocks Depleted.
The report expressed concern over
the rapid depletion of reserve stocks
OF equipment and supplies left over
from the World War, creating a situa-
ton under which the actual cost of
the Army is in excess of the present
annual appropriations"
Sooner or later this condition will
have to be corrected either by means
OF greater appropriations or by the re-
duction of War Department activi-
ties, Mr.. Davis said. Bad as the
situation is, the gradual depletion of
our war reserves has a still more Sc
rlOuS aspect.
The resources of men and material
which are available, or which can be
made available to the United States in
an emergency by Il proper system of
reserves. and prompt strategical and
diplomatic action on the occurrence of
the emergency, are so preponderant in
comparison with those available to
any possible combination of enemy
powers that 1t is certain that no sue
ceSSful attack can be made against
continental United States unless - can
be carried out with such rapidity that
time is not available for our military
and industrial mobilization. The tire
mendouS Importance of acceleratinc
our mobilization by means of adequate
reserves is obvious"