The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-24
Is Our Army Unprepared?

Is Our Army Unprepared?
Startling is mild when used AS an adjective to de-
scribe Secretary of War Davis report to President
Coolidge bearing the Army's unpreparedness for
war.
The richest and most enved Of all nations were we
suddenly called upon to defend ourselves on the bat
tefield we'd out Of ammunition In an hour grant
ed that we could put million men in the field on
snort notice. And million men are not many in this
day and time. We sent two million to France
And then what would happen-after we ran out
OF war materials? It would take ten months even to
begin producing field guns; fourteen months to be-
gin producing sufficient ammunition to supply them
and at least year and half before we could keep
abreast OF the needs of the armies generally
In that time we would be licked to fragile If the
enemy was first class fighting power Just as Spain
would have licked us in 1898 and Germany in 1917
but for circumstances which, in every day language
may well be described as luck.
national defense dependent upon which way the
dice roll is better perhaps. than no defense at ALL
but why always trust to chance? Evidently Secretary
Davis feels that way about it, for he has suggested
that the President appoint board of nine nationally
known men to make a survey OF the situation and
evolve practical plan Of national preparedness.
Obviously something of the kind Is imperative. And
this newspaper is for 1t strong, providing the right
kind Of men are selected. Merely turning out more
war material IL not going to solve the problem. 1t
is far more ccr1plex than that. It involves CO.
ordination of all the units of national defense-the
Navy the air forces and the Nations industrial and
economic resources as well as the Army itself. The
Army is just one phase Of the problem
To be Of service board would have to weigh all
the facts bearing upon the national defense There
is important land force in the western hemisphere
capable, unaided Of invading the United States The
worlds great armies are all overseas.
This means our Navy and its aerial arm is our first
line Of defense An air force for duty along coast
is second line Third, we must have small
but up-to-the=minute organized reserve.
Fourth, behind the Army and Navy and the air
forces must have an organized industry. Our
mills and factories must be so organized that at
code word from the President instant quantity pro-
duction would begin, each unit doing the particular
thing agreed upon in advance
Fundamentally that is the problem board would
have to face. Sheer bulk or quantity of artillery
shell, explosives. tanks and so forth would mean
little Guns become obsolete Explosives spoil in stor
age We would be living in fools paradise to go
on depending upon mountains o. munitions which, in
pinch, would turn out duds.
The only real solution is to keep up with the latest
in aircraft guns munitions and materials of all
kinds and, while keeping ample supply for
able needs always hand gear ourselves up so that
something approaching quantity production Of the
things most needed could begin almost Immediately.
Secretary Davis would seem to have put his finger
on great national need. We had thought, somehow
that the country had been organized pretty much as
above described We had heard that something Of
the kind under way. But If 1t hasn't been done
already, it should be done now but with infinite
care lest spend too much wastefu bulk instead
Of organizing ourselves in some such way as described
Not such a hard Job for Mr. Hearst, after all.
The only thing he has to do is convince the Senate
that you can bride Senator without even making
him an offer.