The Washington times., 1934-12-04
FORCE CLAIMED
CUT To GUN
POL|SHERS
Man Power of Entire Army
10000 Under Terms
Of Defense Act
BY KINGSBURY SMITH
Copyright, 1884, by International News
Service


Copyright 1884 by International News
Army defense works on the
Pacific Coast have been made
virtually useless from a mill
tary standpoint by Government
economy.
Authoritative War Department
sources today confirmed the
statement of Representative John
Dockweller CD Of California,
that there were hardly enough
soldiers on the Pacific Coast Ito
keep the rust off the guns"
The Army defense works at San
Francisco, Puget Sound, San
Diego and San Pedro were
described as dangerously under
manned, while the anti-aircraft
equipment at those points, as well
as in the Panama Canal Zone, was
considered to be completely made
quate.
1CkSVAAAACl SAV1k
Maj. Gen. William F. Hase,
chief of coast artillery, estimated
the coast artillery is short 608
officers and 23,572 enlisted men
to meet the requirements for the
armaments and accessories now
installed.
The harbor defense works at
San Francisco are short more
than 1000 men Of the personnel
estimated by the Army high com.
mand as essential for the proper
defense of that important Pacific
port.
Almost the same situation ap-
plies to the Army defense works
in the Puget Sound area, where
there are between 800 and 400 men
stationed while Army estimates
call for full complement of at
least 1000.
Only "Care.takers'
The defense forces stationed at
San Diego, San Pedro and on the
Columbia River are regarded by
the Army high command as moth.
ing more than "care-taking de.
tachments," completely ina de-
quate to defend properly those sec.
tions in event of an unexpected
enemy attack.
Only two officers and ~ men
are stationed at San Diego; five
officers and SO men on the Colum-
bia River Post and a similar small
detachment at San Pedro.
Furthermore, the Army high
command considers the exciting
military defense equipment at San
Francisco woefully inadequate to
protect the new bridge now being
constructed across the harbor.
Big Guns Needed
Heavy 16.inch coast artillery
guns are regarded as absolutely es.
Sential to the future protection of
that bridge. The War Department
already has sought to obtain funds
with which to add these big guns
to the San Francisco defense
works, but the money has been
refused on economy grounds. A
new request is likely to be made
in the next fiscal year.
AS for equipment generally, the
Regular Army organization plan
for the Coast Artillery calls for
three railway regiments; three
tractor drawn regiments and six
anti-aircraft regiments. At present
there are two regiments wholly
inactive in each case.
Lack of personnel to man
properly the Pacific Coast defense
works is held attributable to the
failure of Congress to appropriate
sufficient funds. The present man
power of the army is 10000 be-
low the strength provided in the
National Defense act of 1920.
PWA Refuses Funds
Gen. Douglas Macarthur, Chief
Of Staff, has warned repeatedly in
his annual reports that both per-
sonnel and equipment is below
the danger line"
Secretary of the Interior Ickes
is blamed at the moment for the
failure of the Army to obtain
funds for equipment purposes.
The War Department asked the
PWA early this year for $50, ,000,-
900 for anti-aircraft equipment,
principally for use on the Pacific
Coast and in the Panama Canal
Zone. It received nothing. It
also requested $28,000,000 for sea
coast defenSes and received only
$4,000 It has renewed these
requests in the estimates sub
mitted to the budget for the next
fiscal wear.