The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-10-16
ND Expert CD Yellow Fever Has a Poor
0piQiop Of Cuba as a Place Of
Residence for A1pericaps.

items contained in his official report az the
wcrk az his battery during the assault and
capture Of the Spanish stronghold. IL Ia
OF vital Importance th9t the views pre-
scented by Lieut.. Parker The 51ol3d Re pro-
Noted 10 a much higher rank for what
he did in CUhal should oe understood by
The American people, ard especially 5y tho
senator's and members ~ congress who VIII
be called upon 70 enact new laws relative
10 the army organization during the next
congress.
What IAer, Parker tells us IS th1s-is,ses
ihe new smali-hvre rifle, using smokeless
powder. has moved the artillery hack on
The battlefield at least three-quaGers of
mile; that the function OF covering tha
charge, which formerly belonged 10 the ar
;llery. has ceased 10 be q. possibility for
hat arm; and tina; the light machine gun
must take KS pace Lieut. Fafhsr pios.S
by q mathematical demonstration in cona-
pairing the losses ut San Juan ridge. wherS
the charge was covered ny the Eating
guns, with those IL lei Caney. where there
We're no machine guns, that II vas posi-
bic 10 make the last 500 yards of tho
charge with a greatly diminished loss or
life when these guns protected .he troops
by firing and sieneng the eneny'S Ire.
More than this. L was demonstrated on
the right flank of the left wing OF our
forces al Santiago that our one little bat
terry OF Gathngs was equivalent 10 brig
ade Of sharpshooiers IN reserve. and tAat
rs defensive weapon in the trenches
these guns are invaluable.
Ii was, as Lieut., Parker says. "a most
lllLtQ value DE Il HtTStNiplb UfIrGbGfliESft
E!zed value OF heretofore unricogn!3ed
arm" AS a result military tactics, both
minor and grand. must he revised. We
have new arm in warfare. and the soon
er the fact is acknowledged and provision
is made for putt ng the machine gun SerS-
ice on par with the infantry and arti,~
lery and the other branches Of the serv~
ice. the better we shall be prepared for
any future war in which We may he COM
PEELED 10 engage.
Lieut.. Parker Is entitled to the credit
of bringing these immensely important
facts TO the attention of the Amsrcan peo-
pie. He IS entirely right IN his conclusions,
but II does not follow that they viii ba
gratefully received or promptly adopted
by the war department authorities ut
Washington. These gentlemen are far
more interested In keeping the government
rifle factory going than they are In devel-
oping the use of the machine gun. which
Is bound to greatly limit the need for
small arms in the future. Past experience
has shown that ouf army staff officers.
whose specially IS ordnance. are always
years behindhand IN accepting new IDEAS
ans new methods Of warfare. But for
sign governments will not ne slow in ar-
propria ting the lessons OF the valuable ex-
pe.ience gained with the machine guns It
Santiago The only matter fo~ sErpsise
Is that. knowing theoret caliy what can DO
accom- plishol by the use Of mach ne guns,
tire military experts OF all countries have
no. previously arrived q. The coaclus, ons
which are inevitable from Lieut.. PaFker'3
14& chine gun demonstration az Santiago.