Evening star., 1932-11-30
MACARTHUR ASKS
INCREASED ARMY.
Chief of Staff Cites "Untrust-
Worthiness of Treaties"
in Pacific.

Citing the "untrustworthiness of
treaties as complete safeguards of in
ternational peace" in the Pacific, Gen.
Douglas Macarthur, Army chief of
staff, advocated today the strengthen
ing of important Pacific garrisons and
increasing the Regular Army to $4,000
officers and ZOO enlisted men as
soon as the State of the Government s
finances permits.
Gen. MacArthur's reference to inter-
neSonal discord was directed pointedly
at the Sino-Japanese disturbance last
year, which, he declared in his annual
report, gave rise to a feeling of ap-
prehension among portions Of our pop
uplation and was reflected in express
sions of anxious concern as to the ade-
quacy OF our defensive structure"
Disclaims Jingoism.
Terming Americas preparatory pro-
gram for land defense far from ade-
quate, the chief Of staff disclaimed any
"jingoism" in making the assertion that
this country cannot afford to intrust
Its ultimate security to any other than
its own readiness to protect itself"
Coming at time when the League
Of Nations has the Lytton report under
consideration preparatory to submitting
it next week to the League Assembly
for action, Gen. MacArthur's references
to the situation in the Far East may
cause some anxiety In American State
Department circles, it was believed to-
day. 1t was conceded that the Mac
Arthur report will arouse Army critics
In Congress when the new War Depart
ment budget is taken up during the
coming session.
with equal frankness, the chief Of
staff discussed the situation in Europe
and the Disarmament Conference. He
said:
"Unquestionably there has crystallized
among important elements Of our citi-
zenry a strong sentiment in opposition
to further weakening Of American mill
tary strength unless accompanied by
sweeping and drastic cuts In the armies
Of other nations"
The continued tendency in Congress
to cut deeper into the backbone of the
Army, he added, Is viewed with great
concern" by the War Department.
Makes Military Comparisons.
In a discussion Of the military COM
parsons between the United States and
other powers, the chief Of staff said:
Brief consideration of the distribu-
ton of our existing Regular Army and
of the responsibilities devolving upon 1t
gives clear impression Of its inadequate
strength Garrisons Of important for
eign possessions should be sufficiently
strong to sustain themselves, without
large reinforcements, for a reasonable
length of time in any emergency. The
reasons for this are obvious. since the
exigencies Of war may force them to de-
pend for a considerable period upon
their own resources, at the same time
that their safety may be of the most
profound Importance to the United
States.
"Yet in no case have we been able
to assign to them the numbers that
repeated studies show to be demanded
by prudence"
The American garrisons in the Pacific,
Gen. Macarthur pointed out, constitute
our great defensive outposts in that
ocean. The security of the Philippines,
he said. is important to the United
States as the advanced base in event
OF any trouble in the Far East"
With reference to Hawaii, he asserted
that mo great feet, either ours or for
eign, could operate across the Pacific
without possessing these islands"
Among the nations Of the world the
United States ranks first In wealth and
fourth in population. Gen. Macarthur
pointed out, yet each Of 16 others
ceeding In strength the aggregate Of
our Regular Army, the National Guard
and Organized Reserves.
Warns Against Reductions.
Coroar+ a afForts tou,ar ~ scoI;n, Sour,
armaments invariably evoke q sympa-
thetic interest in this country. he said
in pointing out that "the United States
has already accomplished a degree of
reduction In its land forces that stands
as unique example among world pow
ers." He warned against further re-
ductions, however. unless they are ac-
companied by more sweeping reductions
on the part OF the larger foreign
armies
On June 80 of this year the Armys
strength was l2,180 officers and 1888
men-a strength reduced by economy
below the safety point, Gen. Macarthur
says, comparing 1t with the national de-
fense acts provision for approximately
$4,000 officers and $50 900 men. The
report recommended that present ap-
propriations for Army activities be con-
tinued and additional funds be granted
to buy reasonable amounts of specified
equipment, particularly for anti-aircraft
guns.
That the recommendations would
arouse widespread interest in Congress,
where renewed efforts to cut Army ap-
preparations are expected, was seen in
the prompt statement of Representative
Collins, Democrat. of Mississippi. He
declared Macarthur seems to be i'm
bued with the European continental
idea that only man power Is essential to
provide military defense"
Collins asked for reduction In the
Army's of1cer strength by eliminating
the oyerage and physically unfit and at
lacked what he termed the chief of
staff's promotion plan for continuing
overage officers rs mere dead weight
Gen. Macarthur made the same op-
posing arguments as he did last year to
the proposed consolidation of the War
and Navy Departments and ridicuIed
the idea of the plan providing for
'aving Of $1o0,oo0,0 900.