Evening star., 1937-04-07
WOODR|NC PRAISES
ARMY EFFICIENCY
Strong Defense Best Peace
Negotiator, Secretary
Declares.

today ranks about seventeenth In size
among those of the world, it ranks high
in relative efficiency and, by providing
strong defense. acts as the best
negotator for peace" Secretary Of
War Woodring said in addressing an
Army day banquet sponsored by the
Military Oroer of the World War last
night at the MayfoWer Hotel.
Only few hours earlier the Army
paraded its latest mechanical equip
ment, to which Woodring attributed
the increased effectiveness of the mod
ern military service. Passing in re-
view before President Roosevelt and
some 10000 spectators, the Army ex-
hibited for the first time in the Capital
its new light tanks, armored cars field
radio units and new high-speed
Air Corps training airplane.
While the parade was in progress,
members Of Congress voiced demands
for legislative action to keep the Ma
ton out of future wars and last night
there was private dinner attended
by surviving members of the Senate
and House who voted against putting
the United States into the World War
OF the Sc who voted against war, only
rs are living today.
Representative Ashbrook, Democrat,
Of Ohio, expressed regret meanwhile
that he had yielded to public pressure
and cast aside his own convictions" in
voting yes"
The Ohio Congressman declared over
the radio, that great blunder of 20
years ago" would not have been made
had the members of the war Congress
, voted their own honest convictions,
and not been swayed and Influenced
| by an excited and misguided but honest
people. who were gripped by the prop
aganda Of munitions makers and those
actusted by selfish greed"
Not Aiming for War"
! The United States is not arming for
war, Woodring said, but, on the con-
trary, is taking ''tardy action toward
remedying some of the more glaring
weaknesses in our national defenses." "
If we reach all Of our present de-
| 1ClloC oOJCStIfCot llC cdlG, VIC W III
still have an army far smaller than
that Of any nation of comparable i'm
portance"
The goal of the War Department, he
said. is to provide the country with
the minimum defense establishment
consistent with reasonable security"
"Calamities of war, like devastating
attacks of nature" Woodring said
often come suddenly. For neither
are We ever quite ready. However, it
is gratifying to know that we have
on guard an ever-vigilant army ready
to answer any call, be it to repel the
arrogance of an aggresSor or to succor
q community in distress. There are
no more earnest advocates of peace
than our armed defenders. Their
lives are dedicated to their countrys
service. Their energy is devoted to
maintaining their nation secure against
aggression and to preserving a lasting
peace with all the world"
Although yesterdays parade bristled
with the newest fighting equipment, 1t
was living demonstration Of the rela-
tive weakness of the force in officers
and men. Although all Army troops
in and near the Capital were mus
tered and were augmented by Navy,
Marine Corps, Organized Reserve, Ma
tional Guard, r. o. T. c., cadet and
veteran and patriotic organization
units. there still were only 5,793 par
ticipants, according to police count
OF these, 4,760 were marchers and the
others were mounted or in vehicles
There we're l8 bands.
Roosevelt Reviews Parade.
President Roosevelt, reviewing the
column from a stand on Constitution
avenue south Of the White House, was
surrounded by members Of his cabinet
ranking officers of the military service
and the military attaches Of foreign
governments. He frequently waved
his silk hat at the marchers and ap-
peared especially interested in the
new Army tanks, Is Of which rolled
by smoothly and silently on rubber
caterpillar treads.
The District High School Cadets
were represented by q single company
from each school. Their colonel
mounted on a Sd Cavalry charger
from Fort Myer, Va, rode with the
staff Of the division commander.