Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-17
STAFF PREPARED
FOR NEEDS OF WAR
ArmN Unlike Conditions of
1917, Now Ready for Any
Hostile Emergency. i:
BIZ REX COLLIER.


The general staff of the Army, de-
veloped to high degree of efficiency
as a result of world War experience, is
prepared to carry on warfare at q
moments notice.
Conditions today, under plans of the
general stan, are in sharp contrast to
those existing at the time Of Americas
entry in the war, as detailed by Gen.
Pershing in his war story.
Gen. Pershing relates his astonish-
ment at learning that so little had
been done Tin making plans for war;
when there were so many things that
might have been done long before"
and condemns the lack Of foresight on
the part of the general staff" In failing
to take advance action.
Today the War Department has q
stan organization that has been referred
to by officials as "a model of efficiency,
alert to its grave responsibilities and
prepared to cope with any emergency"
Plans Already Made.
The national defense act imposes on
the general staff the important duty of
preparing plans for the mobilization of
men and material in time of war or
other national emergency. If there
should be another war, the general staff
Will not have to await the formulation
Of definite plans for raising a COM
blatant force and for equipping it.
Those plans already are In existence.
They have been made so elastic that
they can meet any exigency. The
framework Of an army composed of
regulars, National Guardsmen and re-
serves already Is established.
1t would be possible to send into the
field almost overnight force Of nearly
half million men, fairly we'll trained
and equipped, officials declare. Plans
for the organization of additional forces
are comprehensive.
The corps area system, established
since the World War, creates q mocha
nism for prompt mobilization of forces.
Gen. Summerall, in his final report to
the War Department, pointed out that
lack of territorial organization was one
OF the most serious deficiencies in our
military administration during the
World War;
Separate Agencies Clumsy.
"The then existing territorial de-
part@en.s," Gen. Summerall said, had
not Been organized with view to serv-
ing as the operating agencies for carry
ing out general mobilization. Time
fective territorial organization, and the
urgency Of the situation made 1t neces-
sary to centralize the administration of
mobilization, training and supply in the
War Department.
THE vast number of separate agen-
cies depending directly on the War De-
partment produced an extremely COM
plicated and clumsy system of admin
lstratlon. the resulting complex struc-
ture OF the War Department, with its
many different agencies charged with
various aspects Of the military prob
lem, was difficult to coordinate, and
conflicting instructions were frequently
issued to subordinate authorities. Far
removed from contact with the local
situation, the War Department lacked
an intimate knowledge of local condi-
tons which is required for proper &C
ton on matters of detail.
THE corps areas constitute the great
operating agencies for the mobilization
OF the Army Of the United States, and
the peace-tirne administration and
training Of all components, and their
equipment and supply"
Equipment In Reserve.
If necessity should demand a sud-
den mobilization of men, the forces
would not lack an immediate supply
of munitions and other equipment.
The War Department maintains a
special war reserve of certain essential
supplies peculiar to war needs, suffi-
Gent to equip troops until the manu-
facture of such materials can get under
way.
The plans of the general staff in
clude mot only means for mobilizing
and supplying the Nations armed
forces, but detailed information as to
possible facilities for transporting them
to the scene of combat and for main
tanning them in any given locality.
In short, our Government has laid
careful plans for war-any war-that
does not exist and that does not even
appear in prospect.
This does not mean that America
has planned a militaristic policy of
aggression, but it does mean that thor
ough-going steps have been taken to
insure the defense of the Nation from
any possible invasion by others.
(Copyright, 1917