Evening star., 1937-11-29
ARMY IS BETTER,
BUT YET WEAKER
Woodring's Report Urges
More Aid to Boost Relative
Position of u. S. Forces.


Although the United States Army
now is more efficient than at any time
in its peacetime history, it is relatively
weaker today, compared with the
armies of other great Countries, than
it was a year ago, Secretary of War
Woodring said in the military section
OF his .nnual report, made public to-
day. Other sections Of the report are
to follow.
Mr.. Woodring said he does not rec
ommend that the United States join
in this feverish arms race" but called
for further Strengthening of our armed
forces "as insurance against attack"
AS part of the program for building
up the Army, he urged immediate
construction of new War Department
building in Washington.
The War Department" he said, "is
being increasingly handicapped by the
lack of an appropriate building to
house its various activities in Washing
ton. At present the department occu-
pies some 20 buildings in the National
Capital. Some of these are Govern
ment-owned and others are rented
These structures are practically all
unsuited for the needs of the depart
ment. Valuable records, referred to
constantly in the course of routine
transactions, are stored in widely scat
tered structures where they are not
readily accessible and where they are
exposed to danger of fire. 1t is ur-
gently recommended that construction
OF a new War Department building be
begun in the immediate future"
Secretary Woodring recommended a
number of measures to increase the
strength and efficiency of the military
establishment among them the follow
ing:
Recommendations
Increase the number of commits
stoned officers of the Regular Army by
about 1900 to total of 14,500. This
should be done by adding about 500
officers each year from the ranks of
qualified Junior officers of the Reserve
Corps, as the number commissioned
annually from the Military Academy
will be required to fill normal vacan-
cies, he said
Recruiting of the enlisted strength
OF the Regular Army up to the autho-
rized 10000 and maintenance at that
strength.
Increase of pay of junior officers and
enlisted men. Pay of enlisted men
Is far below that of comparable oc-
cupstions in civil life and well below
that of enlisted men of the Navy and
OF youths enrolled in the Civilian
Conservation Corps" Mr. Woodring
explained
Increase of the National Guard to
100000 officers and men,
Annual two weeks active duty train
ing for at least 10000 reserve officers,
in addition to those on extended
active duty with the Regular Army
and the c. C. c.
Increase from 10000 to $4,000 in
the number of youths receiving train
ing at citizens military training
camps each year.
Restoration Of the re-enlistment al
lowance of career soldiers, withdrawn
few years ago as an economy meas
ure.
wore reserve OHcerS.
Provision for adequate compensation
for career soldiers suffering disability
incident to their military service.
Increase of the number Of active
reserve officers available for assign
ment to 10000, through increase
of the number of Reserve Officers
Training Corps units in colleges.
nf Nf
enlisted specialists over a period of
years to create an emergency body
of trained and experienced men to
occupy important positions in the
ranks. The United States is prac-
tically the only major power without
such reserve, Mr.. Woodring said.
Continuation of the present policy
OF aircraft procurement to provide
and maintain a strength of 1920
modern, serviceable airplanes by 1940
Acceleration of the program of
modernizing equipment of all COM
ponents of the Army to permit i'm
provement and expansion of such
organizations as the air corps, the
anti-aircraft artillery and seacoast de-
fenses.
Authorization of new War Depart
ment building, which should be be-
gun If at all possible within the next
year and completed as soon as prac-
ticable"
Construction of barracks, quarters
and other essential facilities at Army
posts.
Air Forces Retter.
with actual and threatened con-
f1icts shattering or endangering the
peace Of at least one-fourih of the
people of the world, American citi-
zens are naturally concerned for our
own peace and security" the Secre-
tary of War said in submitting his
program for building up the Army
''In an uneasy world, made restless by
actual or potential warfare, ordinary
prudence suggests that we look to
our defenses."
Mr.. Woodring said that there has
been "a growing understanding on the
part of the public that a reasonable
strengthening of our military estab-
lishment would promote peace and
security"
The Regular Army, though slightly
larger than a year ago, "is too small
to accomplish efficiently the tasks for
which it is responsible" Mr. Wood
ring reported.
At the close of the past fiscal year
the strength of the Regular Army,
exclusive of the Philippine Scouts, was
12,269 officers and 158,626 enlisted
men. In the scouts there were IS OFF,
GERS and 6,367 men. The number of
enlisted men in the Regular Army in
creased by about $4,000 during the
past year. The number of commits
stoned officers increased by about 200
leaving the Army "far short of its
proper complement Of officers"
Noticeable improvement has been
made in the equipment of the Ali
Corps, Mr.. Woodring reported. There
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