Millions Mustered

About 15,000,000 men, according to estimate, and probably almost as many words were called forth by the occasion of holding (on July 4) the second annual Defense Day.

Last year, Defense Day was held on Sept. 12, and it was estimated that nearly 17,000,000 men took part (TIME, Sept. 22).

This year the date was set forward at the last minute, by President Coolidge's request, to July 4 (TIME, June 15). War Department officials attributed the smaller showing this year to the short notice given, to the fact that the day was a holiday.

The dual celebration called forth, however, an almost unparalleled number of speeches. Major General John L. Hines (Chief of Staff), Acting Secretary of War Davis, General Pershing, Vice President Dawes talked by radio.

General Hines told the story and described the nature of our defense organization :

"For example, few Americans know that it required more than 395,000 Americans to defeat 20,000 British soldiers in the Revolution and that our National Capitol was burned in the War of 1812, although more than 527,000 Americans were engaged in that conflict and the British at no time had more than 17,000 soldiers in this country.

"These figures cannot be explained away on the ground that Americans were not brave, for we are a courageous people. The reason is to be found in the fact that in both wars, as in all our wars, America has never been prepared."

The National Defense Act, he pointed out, organized our defense on a tripartate basis : 1) the regular Army, 2) the National Guard, 3) the organized reserves. To carry out this plan, the War Department organized the country into nine corps areas of equal population. From each of the areas, in case of war, is supposed to come one regular Army division, two National Guard divisions and three reserve divisions. The regular divisions would rush to the front, followed by the National Guard; these two would have to hold until the reserves should be ready.

In order to carry out this plan, however, much "flesh" would have to be put on the skeleton organization that now exists. The regular Army would have to be quadrupled in size; the National Guard would have to be tripled. The reserves at present consist only of reserve officers and a few non-commissioned officers--the ranks would have to be completely recruited.

The system plans to have a skeleton organization in each community so that, in case of emergency, men can be raised and trained there, instead of being carried far and expensively to great military cantonments. The object of Defense Day is to familiarize civilians with the skeleton defense organization so that, in time of need, they can cooperate with it.

Acting Secretary Davis remarked in this connection:

"I wish to impress upon you that the system of national defense which Congress has established is wholly unfitted for aggression. It would be several months--nine at least--before we could make our Army into a combat army at full strength."

The "Day" was promoted by 28 state Governors, who issued proclamations or public statements to their constituents; 12 others instructed their Adjutant Generals to make any necessary announcements. Only one Governor, John J. Elaine of Wisconsin, refused all cooperation.