New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
TIE SIZE OE TIE ARMY.

While various Army officers are amusing the
public by their differences, each testlfying ABOUT
tho precise number Of men he thinks necessary
TO garrison Cuba, the Philippines or Porto hico'
and stating what Increase OF the Army ~ re-
ouired. may not the voice OF coininon-sense pe
heard? If the experts insist upon dinerlng SO
widely that the weight of their prolesslohai
opnion is minmzed, it may be IN ORDER TOT
practical people who are not experts 10 supiiiit
an opinion and for the practical men IN 'oh'
cress who must decide the matter TO give SUCH
opinions some attention. The war MADE one
thing plain-that the country could not rely 1or
immediate defence against any sudden attack
mon its National Guard or upon volunteers
The time required to call out. organize. equip
and assemble such troops and prepare them Tor
any effective fighting is more than enough for
most destructive invasion by any foreign Power
having sufficient naval and military force 10
land respectable army In this country. AFTER
a little il would have TO retire But that would
be no protection TO the cities which 1t might de-
stroy In a month or two. The country is actu-
ally defenceless as respects the nrst shock OF
war with any military Power, except by It's
Navy, which some foreign Powers can over
match, and by it's Regular Army.
The size Of the feet required TO move an In
vading force across the ocean limits the number
which can be so moved before this Nation can
get itself organized for war. Great Britain
could attack from Canada, but not without
sending n large army across the ocean. and war
with our kin beyond sea- is not TO be ex-
| nected Several European Powers could send
ont an army of far more than a hundred thou
sand men at short notice, but could not at short
notice get together transports enough 10 move
as many. An attack which has to be delayed
| month or two will never be made. because the
world knows that this Nation could in that time
arm million men. Sudden invasion alone Is to
be considered and that is so limited by trans
porting necessities that no nation will try TO
move at the outset as many as one hundred
thousand men. This possible attack will never
| be made il the Nation has always ready and
equipped a movable Regular Army of fifty thou
and men within this country, besides the small
force required for coast fertilization. But that
force must be available, If the country Is to he
securely protected. without drawing upon garri-
sons in dependencies. A foreign navy might
hold the water between Florida and Cuba long
enough TO prevent effective Use even Of any
troops from that island
! II Congress means TO protect the people II
must provide besides all troops required in de-
Tendencies. a Regular Army AT home large
enough TO meet the first shock OF attack In any
possiblc war. For everything after that the
| country can rely upon It's volunteers and upon
the knowledge of foreign Powers that the volun-
teers will be millions. New possessions in the
Pacific the obligation Of National honor TO pro
tect American citizens and interests in the East
during the time Of threatened transformation