Evening star., 1940-02-17
Woodring Emphasizes
Defense in Talk 10
Reserve Officers
National Council Of
Association Closes
3-Doy Session Today

Association Closes
3-Doy Session Todoy
The National Council Of the Re-
serve Ofncers' Association today
went into the Anal session OF its
three-day meeting here after hear
ing Secretary Of War Woodring de-
clare last night that the United
States should set Its defensive
household In order"
More than 100 members Of Con-
gress and nearly 200 reserve ofheers
and their guests heard the War
Department head speak from
flag -bedecked banquet table in the
Hall Of Nations at the Washington
Hotel.
In. form Of q question, Mr.. Wood
ring tied up the European conflict
with the destinies of the people In
this country. After declaring that
far-distant wars have been regarded
largely as affecting our welfare only
"obscurely," he asked:
But Is 1t not true that in this
complex, modern world the for
tunes OF one people-political, So
cial and economic-are inextricably
interviewer with those Of all other
peoples, however remote?"
Would Guard Against Decline.
He went on to say that the out
come of the European war cannot
now be foretold, and added: TT
behooves us, however, SO to set
our American defensive household
In order that no historian of the
future will have cause to relate
that the extinguishment Of Ameri-
can liberty and American democracy
began with the wars of 1899"
The reserve officer, he declared,
plays vital role in the plans for
maintaining defensive force in the
United States. Pointing out that the
next war may come with the awful
rapidity of Midwestern tornado"
Mr.. Woodring reviewed the plans the
War Department has drawn up for
enlisting the services of the reserve
officers on "M-day" (modilization
day..
The Secretary highly praised the
association for its harmonious" CO.
operation with the War Department.
Your representatives have brought
to us the point Of view of reserve
officers and in turn they have lent
willing ears to discussions of our
common objective of a sound ma
tional Defense" he said. "Such mu-
tual respect is bound to serve as
basis for sound accomplishment"
Enter to March Tune.
AS the officers, many Of them dis
playing citations of valor on their
dress coats, and members of Con-
gress entered, the United States
Army Band Orchestra struck up the
stirring piece, Young Veterans"
Two cadets. Jack Harloe and Dexter
Henley, members Of the Georgetown
University Reserve Officers' Training
Corps, then entered carrying the
American flag and the standard of
the association. The orchestra, which
was led by Capt. Thomas F. Darcy.
went into the Pride of the Army"
as the assembly remained standing.
The members of Congress included
high-ranking Representatives ard
Senators who are members Of VDlz.
mitteeS dealing with Army AFFAIR.".
Those introduced who spoke i'm
formally were Senator Minton Of
Indiana, member Of, the Senate Alilte
tary Affairs Committee; Representa.s
tive May OF Kentucky, chairman Of
the House Military Affairs Com
mittee. and Representative Snyder
Of Pennsylvania, chairman of the
House Appropriations Subcommittee
on Army Affairs.
Gen. George c. Marshall, Army
chief Of staff, and Brig. Gen. Charles
Thompson, executive officer for re-
serve affairs, also were introduced.
Prior to the banquet, Gen. Mar
shall discussed in a radio broadcast
in connection with National De-
tense Week. which Is sponsored by
the Reserve Officers Association.
the improvements being made in the
Army.
"The Regular Army does not need
to be large" he said, "but should be
perfect in training and equipment"
The chief Of STAFF said he recently
visited the troops that have been in
the field during the heavy winter
and found fine demonstration of
fortitude and soldierly discipline
and spirit"
The assembly was kept in up-
roarious laughter by informal ex-
changes between Maj. Norman A.
Imrte, U. S. A., Reserve, of Columbus.
Ohio, who was POSTMASTER, and the
various speakers. Col Edward s.
Bres, U. S. A., Reserve, of New
Orleans, La, president of the as
ISOLATION, presided.
Reports Scheduled Today.
The session today was to be taken
up with committee reports. Those
reporting were to include Col. Ed
ward w. Smith, U. S. A., Reserve.
chairman Of the Policy Committee:
Maj. Stanley Brewster, U. s, A..
Reserve, OF Washington, chairman
OF the Committee on Constitution
and BYLAWS, and Col. Deloss Bar
Der, U. s. A., Reserve, Of Mont
gomery, Ala, and Capt. Anthony
OAngelo, U. S. A., Reserve, Brook
lyn, N. Y, members OF the Member
ship Committee.
The guests at the dinner last
night included:
faansrI ". COL Il. Andrews. Senator
An1eIson, LII. Col. Frank NJ
AnSar.s ySsMes 6; IL Arends, Rep.