San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-12-20
j. s. ORGANIZES
HUGE DEFENSE
RESERVE
Army Of 1000, Scheme
In Mobilization
Project.
BY C. w. HINMAN JR.
Copyright, 1895, by Universal Service.

copyright, 1925, by Universal Service.
WASHINGTON. Dec. 19.-with
the slogan mo slackers-no prof.
teers" as the cornerstone, the War
Department is completing plans for
the erection of the most colossal
structure ever reared by nation for
defense against foreign aggression.
Lessons Of the World War, when
soldiers died needlessIy because the
nation was not prepared are the basis
Of the plans. T.
In that war $4,000 persons became
millionaircs on profits acquired while
men in the uniform Of their country
were giving their lives for pittance.
In the next war capital and indus
try will be conscripted, as well us
men to fight.
The plans now being made, in the
words of Secretary of War Dwight
II. Davis, will enable the United States
ito equip any military force up to
100000 men more rapidly, more
completely and more ecoomically than
new army of that size has ever
been equipped before"
T RIUMvIRATE PICKED.
Three men sitting as a war coun-
Gil, are responsible for the co-ordina-
ton of man power and material pow
or plans. They are Secretary Davis,
Assistant Secretary of War Hanford
MacNider, and Major General John
!. Hines, chief of staff. All saw
font line service in France. They
Gre counted upon to see that the man
With the rifle and bayonet is backed
y the entire nation.
Congress today has before It bill
which would empower the President
b time of war to put Immediately
into operation the project which is
being so carefully worked out by
these three raen in time of peace.
The measure backed by the Amer
lean Legion was introduced by Rep
resentative Royal G. johnson of
South Dakota, an overseas veteran.
It is barely % lines in length.
GIVES SWEEPING POWERS.
Under its provisions, the President
in times Of emergency declared by
Congress to exist, not only may draft
the man power Of the nation with
out exception on account of indus
trial occupation" but may also con-
script the material resources and
"take such steps as may be neces-
sary TO control prices"
While the general staff has been
working out its programs for the
mobilization of man power to meet
any war emergency, the assistant sec
rotary of war and his military col
leagues have prepared their industrial
mobilization proposals.
The close cooperation Of the two
groups is essential to the success OF
the general project. The general
\ staff has calculated the man power
requirements. the details of mobiliza.
ton and training. The industrial
group must calculate how and to what
yextent the material resources of the
\ nation can supply the equipment and
munitions required by the modified
man power.
CATALOG FACTORIES.
Already 10000 factories have beer
catalogued TO manufacture in mass
production the 10000 components Of
$4,000 different articles of equipment
required to maintain an effective
American army in the field.
Every item is listed-from the
bronze uniform button to the gigantic
the coast line against enemy attack
The War Department is finding out
not only what each tiny hamlet car
produce in man power, but also what
it can produce in material resources
to support the national effort.
The aggregate force Of 100000 tC
be equipped within six months, will
make possible the mobilization of 81
military divisions comparable to those
which participated in the battles Of
the World War.
Nine Of these divisions will be fur.
nished by the regular army, which
must be expanded to three or foul
times its present size. Eighteen more
divisions will be composed Of national
guardsmen, who will be increased APP
proximately 200 per cent. And tn,
remaining q divisions, together with
innumerable special troops, will come
from the reserve.
These 81 divisions will be grouped
into army corps of three divisions
each, and three army corps will con-
stitute field army. Thus the army
of the United States in action will
be composed of six field armies.
This reserve army Of the United
States contains 3,5S0,000 white and
100000 colored troops.
Geographically, the country is di
vided into nine corps areas for mill
tary administrative purposes. Eacf
corps area will have one division OF
regulars. two of the national guard
and three of reserves.
INTEREST ENCOURAGED.
Because Of differences in the mum
Der and character Of population the
allotment of actual personnel quota;
is more complicated task. Thus one
corps area is called on for only 276,
900 while another is asked for 635, 900
The discrepancy is cared for by allot
ing special troops and services un
equally among the corps areas.
The people of each corps area are
encouraged to take special interest in
the units there allotted. Community
enthusiasm and state pride make fol
a friendly rivalry between the various
units. BY preserving the identity OF
the divisions, regiments and battal
ions that fought in the World War
the units carry on tradition that in
some cases runs back to revolutionary
days.
HOW AREAS DIVIDE.
First Corps Area headquarters Bos.
tom Maine, New Hampshire, Yer