Evening Star Newspaper, May 17, 1933, Page 7

1914 ARMY STATUS - SCORNED BY DERN War Secretary Is Seventh Cabinet Member to Address Radio Forum. Dismissing with a degree of im- patience suggestions that the cost of the Regular Army be reduced to what it was in 1914, Secretary of War George H. Dern, who spoke last night in the National Radio Forum, sponsored by ‘The Evening Star, revealed himself as » staunch supporter of national defense 20 long as world powers are opposed to arbitration of disputes. Secretary Dern'’s addre the seventh delivered in the new “Cabinet series” of the radio forum, was delivered from Station WRC and broadcast over an extensive network of National Broad- casting Co. stations. ‘While Secretary Dern disclosed not a single plan with respect to reductions of personnel or military activities under the administration's economy program, he did indicate he believed some reduc- tions effected last year are unworkable and detrimental “If long continued,” he said, “some of the reductions already made might have a most serious and camaging ef- fect upon our readiness for emergency.” Declaring it is impossible to “turn back the clock to 1914,” Secretary Dern sald that “students of national defense are practically unanimous in their opin- ion that we cannot afford to abandon, or permanently and dramtically to re- duce, the present program until the world is definitely organized to settle all international disputes by amicable means.” But he hastened to add that this does | Tot mean any opportunity for reduction in current costs is being overlooked. The 1934 appropriations for the Army are $65,000.000 less than the sums ap- propriated in 1931, he pointed out. “These great savings have been ef- fected by curtailing many important tivities. Every possibility is being as- siduously explored.” Defends Army Personnel. On the budget problems involving projected plans to furlough from 1,000 | to 4,000 commissioned officers and re- duce or abolish the training activities of the National Guard, C. M. T. C. and R. O. T. C, the War Secretary had nothing to say. He did. however, squarely back the General Staff in its well known contention that these com- ponent parts of the Army constitute & framework on which preparedness for war or other emergency absolutely de- pends. Secretary Dern likewise strongly de- fended the economy and efficiency of the Army and its personnel. He de- clared statements that the cost of the Army be recuced to what it was in 1914 as “another generalization that will not bear analysis.” Deducting the new methods of war- fare that have developed aviation, tanks and chemical warfare, he de- clared the cost of the Army today shows that “we are not spending any more money now than we did in 1914.” “And this in spite of higher living eosts and living standards,” he added. “If we go back to 1914 we might as well abolish the Army entirely, for we should be as helpless as babes against other nations with modern equipment.” Current expenses for the military ac- tivities of the Army constitute, he said, only a little over 6 per cent of the com- plete Federal budget for the year. Coming to the War Department from civil life, Secrctary Dern said he has found in his two months’ study of his new job that “efficiency is the govern- ing objective in Army activity, and po- litical expeniency has nothing whatso- ever to do with it.” In closing, he said: “I have not be- come in any sense a militarist. More than this, and surprising as it may sound, it is my conviction that Army and Navy officers are the most sincere and most practical pacifists in this coun- try today. They have made me appre- clate more keenly than ever before what & grim and costly tragedy this business of war really is. More than ever before I want to prevent its recurrence.” Text of Address. The full text of Secretary ¥ Mfilress follow: D & country where the le rule, every citizen is entitled. th gl e accurate information about his govern- ment, so that he may form sound con- clusions concerning it. One of the most noteworthy of President Roosevelt's achievements is that, by means of the Tadio, that most marvelous of all mod- ern inventions, he has talked directly to the American people and has aroused in their minds a very much greater and more widespread interest in na- tional economic problems than they have ever had before. With his genius for clear, simple explanation, he has made almost every individual American realize that he has practically had a personal talk with the President, in Which the President has frankly told him what is being done for the coun- try, and why. Since more people are thinking and talking about govern- mental problems than ever before, it follows that our democratic form of Government never was more firmly established than it is today. The Washington Evening Star is rendering a real service by enabling th> members of the President’s cabinet also to speak directly to the people about the departments they are administer- ing. I am happy to tell you a few things about the War Department, of which I have been the head since the 4th of March. It is curious how many erroneous ideas are afloat about the War De- partment. Good citizens, in all sincerity, often say the Government of the United States spends more than two-thirds of its income for wars, past, present and future; and when they make that as- sertion they feel they are delivering a crushing indictment of the War De- partment. They conceive the War Departrfent %0 be a great, wasteful military rha- chine which produces nothing to add to the wealth of the Nation. They have the impression that the soldler is somehow a different sort of s being from the rest of us, and that the “military mind,” as they call it, 1s a sinister and inscrutable obstacle to Emzres toward a higher standard of uman relationships. ‘They hold a suspicion that the Army and the Navy are always spoiling for a fight, and that, if left to their own devices, they would bring on wars at frequent intervals. Notions Are Not Supported, Holding these extreme views, they believe that the maintenance of our military establishment is a nedless and almost~ vicious expenditure of money wrung from overburdened taxpayers. My friends, I have found that the facts do not support these notions. If they did, the Army and Navy would surely have been abolished long ago. Indeed, such overstatements probably hurt rather than help the cause of Ppeace. Although I refuse to give up the old mottoes, “Truth is mighty and will pre- Have White Teeth Safely Now, with the aid of Dentox Tooth Paste, everyone may have sparkling white teeth w.. . free from that ugly “yellowish” tinge. Besides safe, gentle cleansing and Dentox contains & special ingredient which tends to keep the gums firm and healthy. Use Dentox for just one month and note the difference. Get a generous SOc tube for 29 today at Peoples Drug Stor | Forum Speaker for Big Army the face of existing world conditions. SECRETARY OF WAR DERN, | | Seventh speaker in the Radio Forum “cabinet series,” warned last night that| America cannot materially reduce its Army and national defense structure in | THE EVEN vail” and “Thrice armed is he that hath his quarrel just.” yet I am willng torgrant that a war does not necessarily prove which side is right; it only proves which side is the stronger. So I sym- pathize with those who say, “Individ- uals no longer settle quarrels with their fists, they settle them in court. Why cannot nations do likewise?” The simple fact remains that nations are not doing likewise, hence ordinary prudence rmmpt.s preparedness. After all, we are still building fences around our backyards to keep our | neighbors and our neighbors’ children out. Moreover, our cities still find it neces- sary to maintain police departments to protect decent people against criminals and gangsters. In other words, the use of force has not yet disappeared in our local affairs, any more than it has in international affairs. And so, with all our aspirations to- ward universal peace and brotherhood. let us keep the realities in mind and not soar off into an imaginary world. It may be true that an Army does {not produce wealth, but neither does, the bank vault or safe deposit box which protects your money and valu- ables. ‘The War Department, far from being a wasteful. extravagant, useless ma- chine, actually performs one of the now | than was the mobolization of the Army fundamental functions laid down in the | preamble to the Constitution—that of | providing for the common defense. It also carries on peace-time activities of the highest value. | Today, the Army is engaged in a tre- | mendous non-military project—that of | mobilizing, equipping, transporting, and | maintaining 275,000 members of the Civilian Conservation Corps. Few peo- | ple realize that this is a bigger task | Government has stepped in to give them wholesome employment that will preserve their self respect, strengthen them morally and physically, and thus prevent any degeneration such as might Tesult from a prolonged period of hope- less idleness. Army Proud of Program. The Army is proud to have a part in this great constructive program, for Army men are human beings just like the rest of us, and considerably above the average in hcnesty, intelligence and patriotic devotion to the national wel- fare. Army officers constitute a group of brainy, educated and loyal men, in- tent on performing the duties imposed upon them by their mission of provid- ing for the national defense. Efficlency is the governing objective in Army activity, and political ex- pediency has nothing whatsoever to do with it. The War Department and the Army are almost completely divorced | from politics. The men in it are not the creatures of any political master nor the servants of any political ma- chine. In the ultimate sense, they have no master but their country. But every singie one of them appreciates clearly that the military establishment is, and must be, the loyal servant of civil government. Thus, the Army is the never-failing support of American lib- erty and institutions; it is not a menace | to_them. sentiments of every American President from George Washington to Franklin Roosevelt, As to the possibility of an army in- fluencing us toward conflict, it to be remembered that the War Depart- ment does not and cannot have any voice in the formulation of foreign pol- icles that might lead to international | difficulty. Neither do they have any- | thing to do with any declaration of war. That is the exclusive function of Cengress. Moreover with the possi- ble exception of the Mexican War, this country has never engaged in armed conflict except in answer to the insistent demand of public opinion. The | sole job of the Army has been to pre- pare as far as possible for the eventu- ality of war and, in those instances when war has been thrust upcn us, to regain an honorable peace as quickly | as_practicable. \Military expenditures constitute an- other subject concerning which there exists as astonishing degree of miscon- | ception. In considering the total cost | of the War Department we often lose sight of the fact that not all of its expenditures are for military purposes. For the fiscal year in which we are now operating, $290.000,000 was appro- | oriated for military purposes, and $118,~ 000,000 for the non-military purposes of | the War Department. The sum of | these constitutes 8% per cent of the | complete Federal budget for the year, | In the Army there are thousands of individuals who disprove the old doc- trine that a man will put forth his| best efforts only under the inducement | of large financial reward. A man en-| tering the Army as a career gives up the idea of making money, and, relying upon fair treatment by the Govern- | ment, devotes himself singly and whole- | heartedly to his profession. We have | officers, and they are in the great ma- | jority, 'who put every ounce of their | strength and ability into their work, | not because they expect to make a | fortune, but because they have dedi- cated their lives to duty, honor and ccuntry. ‘There are doctors in the Army who are among the ablest men in the whole | medical profession. They work day| and night for a small salary when | they might go into private practice and make five or ten times as much. Some of the most notewgrthy achievements in modern medicine have resulted di- rectly from their efforts. Many of our engineers and other technical officers are among the recognized leaders of their professions, but are serving the country faithfully and efficiently for the salary of a captain, a major or a col- onel. Men in private business doing for the Spanish-American War. | There is nothing of a military char- | acter in this reforestation work. As! the President said in his radio speech | the other night, it is a program for| the conservation of our natural re-| sources and of our human resources | as well. It calls for the mobilization | of these young men to provide for a future timber supply for the Nation. |gry The group will be chiefly composed of | picked young men, who, in normal | times, would be starting on their ca- reers, after having finished their school education. In these hard times they can find no jobs, and hence cannot get | a start in ilfe. Many, many of them have never had a job of any kind. | Through no fault of their own they | are in danger of developing demoraliz- | ing habits of idleness and the vicious practices that come from idleness. The comparable work have been drawing from $25,000 to $50,000 a year. i ‘Throughout the whole Army there | are officers devoting talents and effcrts to the problems of military administra- tion, research, instruction and technical development that would, if devoted to commercial enterprise, bring to them the much greater financial rewards that ac- crue to industrial leaders in this couns Aim to Prevent War. As for the so-called military mind. it is perfectly true that Army officers are indoctrinated with the idea that pure pacifism does not square with the facts of life. But the sincere aim of Army men is to prevent, not to cause, war; and they believe that a reasonable preparation for efficient defense is still the best assurance for the maintenance of peace. 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A similar | percentage of governmental appropria- | tions went for the support of the Navy, | Hence the Government in this fiscal | year is devoting less than 13 per cent | of its total budget to provide for na- tional defense. | So the statement which I made & few minutes ago about two-thirds of the expenditures of the Government going to pay for past and future wars is misleading It includes pensions, veterans’ administration and interest and sinking funds cn debts incurred in past wars. All these items are prop- | erly chargeable to the theotretical cost of war, but they have nothing to do with the insurance we are paying to | avold future conflict. In fact, going on the reasonable assumption that scmewhat better preparation would | | have prevented certain of our wars, or at least have reduced their cost im- | measurably, much of our present out- | lay is directly chargeable to our own mistakes in the past. During this period of depression the administration is putting forth every effort to effect badly needed reductions in governmental expenditures. In the | War Department we are endeavoring 1o | economize in every possible direction. | Won't Bear Analysis. | I have heard the statement made | that the cost of our Army should be reduced to what it was in 1914. That | is another generalization that will not | bear analysis. In 1914 we had an Army | aggregating about 100000 men, and | costing $113,000,000 per year; and when we got into the war we found that we had to rebuild and reorganize it from the bottom up in order to make it an efficient fighting machine. Indeed, the lessons of the war taught us to build the more effective military organization which we now have. Today, we have a Regular Army of about 140,000, count- | ing the Philippine Scouts, and this year we are spending somewhat less than $290.000.000 on it. But included in this amount are large sums to support es- sential organizations and activities that SILS REGULAR PRICE 198 Reg. $275 325 Reg. $2.95 Heat evenly. Practically rring. Strong handles with On Sale Now at All Leading Department, Hardware and Housefurnishing Stores | at our very gates. NG STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1933. did not exist in 1914. More than $75,- 000,000 is required ann: for maintenance of the Air Corps, without which an army is not an army nowa- days. In addition, the sum of $50,.- 000,000 is needed for direct and indirect of the National Guard, the ’ _Reserve and various phases of civilian training. The World ‘War demonstrated conclusively the need for a modest program of this kind. De- ducting these new items we find that we are not spending any more money per man now than we did in 1914. And this in spite of higher living costs and living standards. In other words, our military budget has increased only be- cause airplanes, chemical warfare and tanks have come into the picture, and are now essential parts of every up-to- date military machine. We cannot possibly turn back the clock to 1914. Warfare has become complicated, not only by aircraft and anti-aircraft weapons and by chemicals, but by swarms of machine guns, rapid- fire cannon and other intricate and devastating devices of destruction. Pre- paration for defense against these things costs money—but this fact does ot justify us in neglecting reasonable precautions. If we were to go back to 1914 we might as well abolish the Army tirely, for we should be as helpless & babe against another nation with modern equipment. It is a matter of history that the Central Powers were completely disre- gardful, if not disdainful, of American military strength in the years just pre- ceding our entry into the World War. If the United States had then possessed the skeletonized framework of a strong establishment, such as we have en- deavored to maintain for the past 10 years, there is strong reason to believe | that Germany would never have pro- | !v‘t;kted the United States into that con- ct. if our money costs of that war could be invested at 4 per cent the resulting in- come would support forever our Army and Navy at twice their present strength. In numbers our Army ranks seven- teen However, it is a framework upon which a large and efficlent force could be built up within a reasonable time. Since it is intended for defense only we make no attempt to maintain a great military establishment ready to act ageS.asively and instantly in any internationd erisis. Fortunately we have no sensitive land frontiers and no strong potential enemy But students of na- tional defense are practically unanimous in their opinion that we cannot afford to abandon, or permanently and drasti- cally to reduce, the present program until the world is definitely organized to settle all international disputes by amicable means. This does not mean that any op- | portunity for reduction in current costs is being overlooked. The 1934 appro- priations for the Army are $65,000,000 less than the sums appropriated in 1931. These great savings have been effected by curtailing many important activities. Every possibility is being assiduously explored. 1If long continued. some of the reductions already made might have - % g o . i - e most serious and damaging effects upon the | our readiness for emergency. Our Army is far different in characier | the Philippines and the great advances from the powerful military organizations | made by the Filipinos and the Puerto maintained in many of the other great nations. In praciically all European and Asiatic countries armies are main- tained by conscription; that is, by com- pulsory military service. Since the in- dividual soldier receives almost no pay, & very large military establishment can be maintained at an exceedingly low cost. The system also results in an almost instantaneous readiness for at- tack or defense. In this country the idea of compulsory military service in time of peace has always been an ab- horrent one, and our Army is organized | on a purely voluntary basis.* This neces- sitates a living wage for personnel. France pays her common soldiers 25 centimes per day or about $1.50 per | month, compared with a normal pay of A7 made possible by the devotion and skit of Army doctors. The pacification of Ricans in education, sanitation snd commercial development are in no small measure due to the efforts of the Ameri- can Army. The War Department is still charged with the administration of the Philippine Islands and Puerto Rico, and to this extent constitutes the Colonial division of our Federal Gov- | ernment. In closing this talk I remind you | that I have learned most of these things | since I became Secretary of War. But I have not become in any sense 2 | militarist. More than this, and sur- | prising as it may sound, it is my con- | viction that Army and Navy officers | are the most sincere and most practi- cal pacifists in this country today. They have made me appreclate more keenly than ever before just what a grim and $21 per month in our own Army. | Naturally then, our small Regular Army costs much more than a similar force in Europe. Even so, foreign armies are 0 large that their governments are re- And it 1s interesting to note that | th among the nations of the world. | quired to devote much larger portions | of their annual budgets to military pur- poses than we do. | " In some respects the non-military ac- tivities of the War Department are more interesting than the military, be- | cause they are of a_more immediate | constructive nature. The record made | by the Corps of Engineers is a source of | pride to the entire Nation. The unex- | celled technical education, the high |standard in_training and engineering | skill, the fine record of performance, | the freedom from graft or scandal, and | the pride of the men in their organiza- | tion have made the Army Engineers one |of the most outstanding professional groups of this country. The Army Engineers for more than a century have been in charge of our ports and_have maintained our great harbors. They have produced the sys- tem of water transportation on the Great Lakes, which is second to none in the world. They have made our inland waterways navigable for com- merce, and they have constructed the levees and other flood control works on the Mississippi. They built the Wilson Dam power plant at Muscle Shoals and supervised the building of the Panama | Canal, which the War Department ad- ministers and operates. ‘The expenditures on rivers and har- bors. since the beginring, have been nearly one billion nine hundred mil- lion dollars, which is not an_excessive | sum, considering the results. The trade | and commerce of the country are de- pendent on these improvements. The commerce of our ports and waterways amounts to about 500 million tons per year, valued at 15 to 20 billion dollars. The policy of developing ports and rivers at public expensc has had a arked influence in the phenomenal growth of our country in wealth and world trade. The contributions made by the Armv Air Corps to progress in the science of air transportation are too numerous to mention. The Ordnance Department has been responsible for some of the most important discoveries in the met- llurigical field. Control of malaria, yphoid and yellow fevers was largely e ¥F bl 4 *A - AL W e oy 4, costly tragedy this business of war {really is. More than ever before I want to_prevent its recurrence, and it is for this reason that I have deter- mined 1o learn every possible fact con- | cerning it and of needful preparations | against it. It is my sincere he that | every one of our people may likewise | become conversant with these facts, be- | cause matters involving the national | security touch directly upon the wel- fare of every American citizen. —_ i | | DERN WILL GET DEGREE | Secretary of War Dern will receive the honorary degree of doctor of laws from the Pennsylvania Military College, | Chester, Pa.. at its 112th commence- | ment exercises June 6. | _ The degree will be conferred by Rev. | Prancis M. Taitt. bishop of the Epis- copal diocese of Pernnsylvania and president of the college's board of | trustees. | Secretary Dern will be given a salute of 19 guns from theycadet battery on | his arrival and a military demonstra- | tion will include a squadron of service | planes. RENOVIZE Your Home Now! One of the things you have long wanted and needed is & complete AIR-CONDITIONING UNIT to maintain the proper temperature and humidity in your home at all times. 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