Show if in time of peace for war 4 b IA P IA ASHINGTON A big united washington W states army potential and not actual Is what the war experts are striving tor for two lessons of the world war learned at heavy cost are sharply emphasized in a war department bulletin giving the first official picture of the new national oat lonal defense structure projected in the reorganized army of the united states one lesson comes direct from the battlefields of france it Is that efficient staff work Is vital to modern military operations and eulth it goes the lie contention that staff functions cannot be learned over night might the other comes from the wartime din and confusion of the centralized training camps at home it Is that mat efficient mobilization of the nations lighting strength can be carided carried out only as a decentralized process through agencies set up in times of pence peace realization that these lessons must he be worked into the new military policy if perilous delay and costly confusion which preceded past part mobilizations were to be avoided hns has marked the effort of the war deportment department the bulle tn n shows it has attempted to write regulations under the revised national defense act that would tur fur wait arii a clean cut scheme for war mobilization without violating national traditions against militarism or creating machinery that would impose heavy burdens in peace times upon the taxpayers the project undertaken probably la Is the most far reaching military effort the nation has fins ever attempted ln in peace times the foundation work has been done all over the country decentralized machinery is being set up capable its designers believe of getting the nation on a war footing with little delay and confusion the most important links in the new defense chain are the regular army the Nat national lonnI guard and the Off officers leers reserve corps col john palmer assigned to aid congress in framing the legislation has fins devoted himself to a 8 tudy study 0 of f th the 0 subject ills his work now la Is to go to all parts of the liew army and explain the workings of the new plan |