Evening star., 1938-01-02
MOB|LIz|NC SPEED
TWICE THAT OF II
100000 Trained Men Could
Be Put Into Immediate
Action, Says Johnson.
BY the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
II the United States should 20 to
war again. the Army expects to mo-
bilize more than twice as quickly as
1t did in 1917.
Louis johnson, Assistant Secretary
OF War, says that if hostilites should
start tomorrow $1,000 trained soldiers
could be put into the field imme-
| diately.
Thirty days later We would hope to
have available force of 50o,0OO," he
said. AT the end of four months we
would expect 100000 men to be in
uniform and under arms"
Nearly 100000 we're in uniform a
month after the declaration of war on
Germany in 1917, but four months
later only 551 900 men we're equipped.
Col. Johnson's views were expressed
in detailed statement of the Armys
industrial preparedness program in the
Coast Artillery Journal In the same
publication World War leader. Mai.
Gen. James G.. Harbord. now retired,
raised the question whether force the
would be necessary or even practicable
to mobilize again as an actual combat
force.
Ground Forces Paramount.
Just now the increased power Of
the air seems to guarantee that the
great conscript armies Of 1918 have
disappeared from the battlefelds Of
the future" he said. They can no
longer be assembled or supplied in
such masses. Coordination on such
a scale is no longer possible"
Gen. Harbord agreed with the
Army's present high command, how
ever, that wars are still won-finally
by soldiers with feet on the ground.
who take and hold territory"
Assistant Secretary johnson said
the United States could spare a
greater human reserve for military
effort than any other nation. American
industry. he said. is capable OF bear
ing the load Of any major war effort"
Due to careful planning We have
enough Of the ordinary supplies to
take care of our soldiers for a period
OF six months" he said. The same
can not be said, however, Of weapons
and equipment developed since the
World War, such as airplanes, anti
aircraft and long-range guns. gas
masks and other more modern and
essential accoutrements of an efficient
military machine"
One preparedness problem is build
ing up reserve supplies Of such stra-
tegic materials as this country does not
produce, such as tungsten, manganese.
chromium and tin. Col. johnson ex-
pressed hope that pending legislation
to buy and store some of these would
win congressional approval.
Could Mobilize Industries.
Preparing for possible mobilization
OF industries, the War Department
has assigned 10000 manufacturing
plants to one or more of the supply
branches to produce military necessi-
ties. he said. The ma ajority Of these
have agreed to perform their prospec-
tive wartime tasks. though neither
they nor the Government are legally
bound.
superagency, national in charac-
ter and administered by outstanding
civilians is planned to coordinate
such efforts. Col. johnson said the
War Department was "unalterably op-
posed to the militarization Of indus
try"
Col. johnson suggested advance leg
islatlon to curb excess profits and ris-
ing prices. He predicted that COM
petition between Government agencies
for materials. as factor in excess
profits, will be eliminated by our meth
Cd OF ALLEGATION and distribution Of
procurement" and added:
When supplemented by fair Gov
ernment contracts. together with the
power of price fixing and fair ex-
cess profits tax. the possibilities Of
prof1teering in war will be reduced to
a minimum. Without profiteering. the
prospect OF maintaining a high morale
among the civilians behind the lines
appears excellent"