The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-11-07
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M BY Frederic J.haskin '@>
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military action, Germany never would
have risked American entry into the
war by her submarine policy.
Miracles were wrought in that mob
ilization. An army of more than
100000 men OF whom, more than
1000 900 went overseas, was produced,
but at terrific economic cost, to
say nothing Of the battle losses that
might have been averted or reduced
with better trained machine. Back
IT. 1916 when the position OF the ma
ton as neutral in the World War
was being gravely menaced by acts Of
telligerents, National Defense Act,
supported by billion dollar budget,
to increase army and navy prepared
ness over brief course Of years, had
been enacted. It's execution was no
more than started wien America
entered the war in 1917. The act,
however, furnished at the close Of the
war the pattern by which new de-
tense act setting up the army policy
of today, seeking to write the unpre-
paredness lessons of 1917 and Of all
previous wars into permanent form,
was drawn. That act, the National
Defense Act Of 1920, is the great
charter Of the Department Of War
today. The far-ranging cycle Of all
its military activities turns upon that
statutory authority.
Present Army Plan
It is policy Of preparing for war
in time Of peace but at the same time
safeguarding against any risk Of MIL
itarism In the nation. It charges the
War Department with highest duties
o. planning and training. It does not
free professional soldiers from con-
troll Of = civilian commander-in-
chief in the person Of the president,
or Of civilian war secretary.
Nor does 1t change the exclusive
power Of congress to organize and
equip the armed forces, leaving to the
president only the function OF COM
mand and Of selection Of officers,
with senate approval. The act estab-
fishes . safe minimum for the regu.
lar army, In view Of the vast and
new responsibilities Of preparing
against war emergencies with which
T. charged the war department Of
$4,000 officers and $4,000 men. At
no time since the act was put on the
books have controlling budgetary pro-
visions permitted that strength to be
attained.
The army budget recently has pro-
v:ded for only $4,000 officers and
$4,000 men. exclusive OF the $500
Philippine Scouts maintained by the
United States in the islands in addi-
ton to the regular army garrison
there. The fact that In the Philip
pines, In Hawaii, IN the Panama
Canal zone. and in Puerto Rico It Is
deemed necessary to keep the regu-
lar army forces much more nearly
at war strength than at home, adds
to the problem Of spreading this re-
duction OF personnel below the de-
Tense act minimums. It required
1000 officers and $4,000 men in all
the detached territories leaving 10000
officers and $4,000 men In the regu-
lar establishment In continental
United States. OF these, the special
schools, training assignments
and other employment apart from
garrison service with mobile units
reduce the troops available for In
slant use in any emergency ct home
tn arn,lnd 20 mn
In effect, the Defense Act views the
regular army as merely . schooling
force to pa:e the way for reasonably
quick mobilization Of q civilian army
Of any size Necessary in . major
emergency. As = military force II
would be sufficient in itself only for
q minor need. Even backed by the
100000 partially trained and equipped
National Guard contemplated by the
Defense Act, and raised from its
pea skeietonized m an power
strength to full war footing Is could
be done quickly. the army could not
expect to do more than hold the line
desperately against q major attack
while the organized reserves in what
ever necessary numbers wero made
ready behind 1t for the real task Of
defense.