Evening star., 1937-10-17

The Philippine Army, to be composed
principally Of reserve force of citizen
soldiers, contains also a small regular
element made up Of individuals who
follow the profession OF arms rs a
career, and who are constantly in the
service Of the government. The re-
serve force is to consist OF those able
bodied male citizens between the ages
Of 81 and so who have been duly
trained for military service, and there
after assigned to the reserve force.
To attain a high level of efficiency
at little cost in the reserve force. the
plan requires the individual to undergo
military training as duty to the state.
Under this type OF system, generally
known as universal military service,
training is normally accomplished by
the annual conscription Of young men
OF a given age, and their intensive
training under professional soldiers.
To satisfy the somewhat conflicting
considerations Of adequate training
and minimum sacrifice to individuals
during productive years, the Philippine
system resorts to various expedients.
1t provides for, elementary military
training as a by-product Of public
school education and affords military
instruction on Sundays and holidays to
young men not attending school,
Later, during the years that the
individual remains subject to military
service after completion Of his princi-
pal tour Of instruction, the plan. pro-
vides for short refresher courses,
mainly on week ends.
The first class of trainees to undergo
q full period of instruction were
assembled January /, 1887 They
numbered 10000. and were succeeded
by group OF equal size on July /, 1887
Duties Of Regular Force.
The regular force, because OF its
higher unit cost, is to be maintained
at the lowest level consistent with
performance Of its missions. It will
have four principal duties, of which
the first is to operate the training
system for civilians; the second is to
provide in peace and in war the
technical and administrative overhead
required by the entire military estab-
liShment; the third Is to insure con-
tinuous availability OF a reasonably
strong and highly trained military
force for whatever use the government
may choose to make of It; and the
fourth is to perform the police work
throughout the islands that has here
tofOre been carried out by the Philip
pine constabulary. Ultimate strength
Of the professional element will be
$50 officers and approximately 10000
enlisted men. supplemented by q
modest air component and an on
shore patrol Of small torpedo throwing
boats.
An army developed under the princi-
pie OF universal service is necessarily
progressive growth that can attain
its maximum results only after there
has elapsed period of years equal
to the length OF time the trained
citizen remains attached to the reserve
force. Under the Philippine law, this
total length Of obligation Is to be 80
years, OF which the first 10 comprise
the individuals assignment to the first
reserve. and the two succeeding dec
AIDES his service in the second and
third reserves, respectively.
The development Of . satisfactory
program Of armament procurement
and maintenance for the Philippine
Army presents many unusual diff
culties. Among these may be listed
the total lack Of steel, aircraft and
explosive manufactures, and q conse-
quent dependence upon outside sources
for weapons, equipment. and ammu-
nition: the lack Of q feet whereby
importation could be guaranteed in
case Of naval blockade, and the result
Ing necessity to maintain sizable re-
serve stocks; the urgent and con-
tinuous necessity for economy In this
As In all other phases of preparatory
activity. and finally, the relatively
short life OF certain classes or ordnance
material In tropical climates.
Against these disadvantages are to
be listed the conditions that tend to
minimize the seriousness Of the stu
alton. The purely defensive mission
OF the Philippine Army eliminates any
need for great quantities of those
classes Of munitions normally des-
ignated as offensive In character,
among which are huge guns for the
demolition Of fortresses and tanks,
combat cars and aircraft in the
quantities needed In major oi9ensives.
Nature has endowed the Philippines
With defensive possibAlitiee. It would