STRONGER ARMY FOR UNITED STATES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 57, 30 November 1937, Page 5

STRONGER ARMY FOR UNITED STATES

— Pre»s Ann.-

War Secretary's^ Advice to the President WORLD RESTLESSNESS

tB* Telegraph

— Copyright.l

(Eeeeived 30, 8.45 a.m.) WASHIN GTON, Nov. 28. The Secretary of War, Mr H. H. Woodring, in his annual repoTt to President Eoosevelt, which is regarded as the blnntest for years, urged furtliev (streugthening of the armed forces as the best means of securrng 'peace 111 "au uneasy world made restlcss by uctual and potential warfare." He recommended: (1) The air force to be maintainsJ virtually on the wartime basis. (2) An increase of enlisted ofiicers to 14,500 and enlisted personnel to 165,000. (3) An increase of the National Guard to 210,000. (4) Strengthen the coast artillery. (5) Enrol a reserve consisting oi 150,000 enlisted specialists. (6) Eevise the pay schedule to s scale comparable with that in civil life. "I certainly do not recommend that we should join the feverish arms race," he said. "Our national policy ls wholly defensive. However, I believo that, as an insurance against attack, we should strengthen our forces." He stated that the army at present possessed 1000 new planes", with an aOditional 1000 ordered towards the goal of 2810 by June, 1940. "In the event of a major war, the air force would probably be engagea immediately after the opening of hostilities. Therefore, it is desirable to keep the air force almost on a war footing in peace-time. "Our army is the most efficient in peacetime history, but is relativelv weaker than last year, because other nations have increased their militarv strength at enormous rates."