Never before in time of peace has our country maintained so large and
effective a military force as it now has. The Army, Navy, Marine Corps,
National Guard, and Organized Reserves represent a strength of about
558,400 men. These forces are well trained, well equipped, and high in
morale.
A sound selective service act giving broad authority for the mobilization
in time of peril of all the resources of the country, both persons and
materials, is needed to perfect our defense policy in accordance with our
ideals of equality. The provision for more suitable housing to be paid for
out of funds derived from the sale of excess lands, pending before the last
Congress, ought to be brought forward and passed. Reasonable replacements
ought to be made to maintain a sufficient ammunition reserve.
The Navy has the full treaty tonnage of capital ships. Work is going
forward in modernizing the older ones, building aircraft carriers,
additional fleet submarines, and fast scout cruisers, but we are carefully
avoiding anything that might be construed as a competition in armaments
with other nations. The joint Army and Navy maneuvers at Hawaii, followed
by the cruise of a full Battle Fleet to Australia and New Zealand, were
successfully carried out. These demonstrations revealed a most satisfactory
condition of the ships and the men engaged.
Last year at my suggestion the General Board of the Navy made an
investigation and report on the relation of aircraft to warships. As a
result authorizations and appropriations were made for more scout cruisers
and fleet submarines and for completing aircraft carriers and equipping
them with necessary planes. Additional training in aviation was begun at
the Military and Naval Academies. A method of coordination and cooperation
of the Army and Navy and the principal aircraft builders is being
perfected. At the suggestion of the Secretaries of War and Navy I appointed
a special board to make a further study of the problem of aircraft.
The report of the Air Board ought to be reassuring to the country,
gratifying to the service and satisfactory to the Congress. It is
thoroughly complete and represents the mature thought of the best talent in
the country. No radical change in organization of the service seems
necessary. The Departments of War, Navy, and Commerce should each be
provided with an additional assistant secretary, not necessarily with
statutory duties but who would be available under the direction of the
Secretary to give especial attention to air navigation. We must have an air
strength worthy of America. Provision should be made for two additional
brigadier generals for the Army Air Service. Temporary rank corresponding
to their duties should be awarded to active flying officers in both Army
and Navy.
Aviation is of great importance both for national defense and commercial
development. We ought to proceed in its improvement by the necessary
experiment and investigation. Our country is not behind in this art. It has
made records for speed and for the excellence of its planes. It ought to go
on maintaining its manufacturing plants capable of rapid production, giving
national assistance to the la in out of airways, equipping itself with a
moderate number of planes and keeping an air force trained to the highest
efficiency.
While I am a thorough believer in national defense and entirely committed
to the policy of adequate preparation, I am just as thoroughly opposed to
instigating or participating in a policy of competitive armaments. Nor does
preparation mean a policy of militarizing. Our people and industries are
solicitous for the cause of 0111, country, and have great respect for the
Army and Navy and foil the uniform worn by the men who stand ready at all
times for our protection to encounter the dangers and perils necessary to
military service, but all of these activities are to be taken not in behalf
of aggression but in behalf of peace. They are the instruments by which we
undertake to do our part to promote good will and support stability among
all peoples.