Evening star., 1938-04-06
Army Day.

ARMY Lay.
Due to the patriotic initiative of the
Military Order of the World War in
1928 the Republic today marks the elev-
enth annual celebration of Army Day,
which commentaries the United States
entry into the World War. A year ago
Congress by special act recognized April
E of each year as Army Day and simul-
taneously requested the President as
Commander in Chief to order military
units throughout the country to assist
civic bodies in appropriate celebration of
that memorable occasion tWenty-one
years ago, when Woodrow Wilson called
upon the Nation to exert, without stint"
the force of mighty people in the cause
IN which we were reluctantly, but at
last determlnedly, about to plunge.
Down stately Constitution avenue
from the Capitol this afternoon, parade
symbolical of the armed units centered
within the District of Columbia will
march in honor of Army Day and be
reviewed by President Roosevelt. A con-
f1rmed and consistently demonstrated be-
heVer in preparedness, the present Com
mander in Chiefs participation in Wash
ington's celebration betokens not only
his own recognition of the Army's vast
Importance in the national defense
scheme, but also that of the whole Union.
which he personiies.
The Army is the oldest of our Federal
institutions Its birth precedes that of
the Republic itself. AS through its ef-
forts the United States came into exist
ence, SO through its sacrifices the
Union has been preserved. The Army
keeps physically fit and mentally alert to
serve our country in peace and war. In
our garrisons at home and in our
possessions overseas, it is planning
studying and experimenting. The bat
tlefields of Europe and Asia today are
proving grounds for weapons, training
and equipment. The United States
Army Schools and the General and Di-
vision Stats follow these titanic strug-
giles with professional interest, ever on
the qui vive, in the light OF these ex-
perlences, to improve our methods, our
tactics and our training
Today, preparedness means something
more than maintaining small, efficient
Regular Army, ready for battle Wars are
no longer fought alone by professional
soldiers. They are struggles of entire
nations, groups of nations, and even of
civilizations. Preparedness means keep
ing America awake, its money and its
resources available, and its whole man
power willing and ready to exercise the
duties and responsibilities of citizenship.
To this end the Army instructs and en-
courages the growth and efficiency of the
National Guard. It teaches and de-
velops the Reserve Officers Training
Corps units at our schools and colleges
1t trains and leads the Organized Re-
serves. 1t fosters and nurtures the Citi-
zens' Military Training Camps. 1t stud
les and develops war plans for the mobi-
lization OF industry, which in an emer-
gency may be called upon to convert
plowshares into swords.
Each OF these functions it performs
with but 12,309 officers and 10000 en-
listed men. No first-rate power and few
smaller ones rank as low in military
strength. Portugal and Greece each has
force greater than our combined Regu-
lar Army, Navy, National Guard, officers
Reserve Corps and all other Reserve
units. In an emergency, even peace
loving Sweden is ready to put into the
field almost 100000 men, while our avail
able strength for immediate use is less
than 100000 In 1887 the cost of our
national defense was about $719 per
capita. Germany's was almost twice as
great, 1talys almost three times as great,
Frances more than three times, Japan's
almost four times, and Great Britain's
more than five times.
The country may well be proud of its
Army. Prepared for emergency in peace
and war, it comprises with the Navy the
insurance of the United States in war
torn world for the safety of our lives, the
happiness of our homes and the integrity
of ollr institutions