The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-17

Meiklejohn, assistant secretary of war:
Criticisms Of the war department,
regarding the delays which have at
tended the mobilization. arming and
equipping of the troops, are attribut-
able to want of knowledge of the ele-
ments of the difficult problem which
confronted the military authorities at
the outbreak of hostilities. AS a mat
ter of fact, in the history of warfare
from the earliest days there has not
been such an exhibition of quickness
and resource in the placing of a great
army In the field as has been offered
by this government during the last 10
weeks. 1t must be considered that this
army has been built up out of citizen
material. being called from all walks
of life, the millionaire's son enlisting
by the side of the clerk, fresh from the
counter, and the country boy sum-
moned from the pillow.
A special education is required to
make a soldier, and to give this train
ing requires time. Then the new re-
cruit must be provided with shelter,
clothing, equipments, arms and food.
In this country there exists no great
plants, such as are found abroad. for
the manufacture of soldiers equip
TlentS ana supplies InlS ndllon Is not
a military nation, and merchants would
not be warranted in keeping on hand
great quantities of uniforms. tents. etc.
Such things have to be manufactured
to order.
When all the difficulties encountered
are taken into consideration. we con-
slider that we have a right to say that
there has been no delay in our prepara-
lions for this war. Or the contrary,
Europe to-day stands amazed at what
we have accomplished in the collecting.
enrolling, mastering, feeding. trans
porting and drilling of a great army
created out of hand as by the sowing of
the tabled dragons teeth. Those who
have constituted themselves critics of
the war department have failed to
realize that men cannot be taken from
the shop and the harvest field and
converted off-hand into soldiers fit 10
put in the field against the veterans of
Spain.
The military authorities are content
to know that they have lone a greater
work in the making and preparation OF
an army than has ever been accom-
plished by any other nation in the same
length of time. History will give them
full credit, and its verdict will be their
reward.
Statement of Brigadier General NJ. l..
Ludington, quartermaster general of
the army:
Up to the very outbreak of hostilities
my department was held down strictly
to a peace basis of expenditure. All
our arrangements had reference 10 a
maximum of $500 men. We had sup
plies on hand for only that number of
soldiers. Without a days notice we
were called upon TO equip nearly 200. 600
men.
To begin with. these 200 900 men had
to be sheltered and clothed. We had
TO provide tents for them, though there
was hardly a yard OF the proper grade
OF canvas in the market. The Klon-
dix demand had almost exhausted the
visible supply of tent canvas, m the
navy itself, getting into the market
before we had any money to buy with,
was actually our competitor for this
grade OF duck. Any sort of canvas will
not do for tents; we had to have a spe-
cial quality. OF course, we bought up
all the tents that could be obtained i'm
the United States. and contracted with
manufacturer for as many as the
were able to furnish at the shortest
notice. There was delay. but 1t was
wholly unavoidable.
Most of the articles we required were
not In the market, and had to be manu-
featured. In many instances the ma
teral from which to manufacture them
had to be made. OF the goods needed
for making the light "kanki' uniforms,
there was not any in the country; 80
days had to pass before the mills
could turn out the first yard of the
stun. AS an example of what we have
accomplished, I will mention the fact
that We are now furnishing these uni
forms at the rate of 5000 suits a day.
The sort OF blankets we needed were not
purchasable I'm quantities off and
IL was the same way with many other
kinds nf GInnlinc If ie q fact that a
great many soldiers left their homes
with a single shirt and without one
pair of clean socks. OF course, they
needed garments Immediately, and they
set up an cutlery for them promptly the
day after they enlisted.
The element of time must enter into
a problem of this kind, but for this no
allowance has been made by some crit
les. Once started. there is no difficulty
In keeping up with the demands. large
as they may be. For our army as at
present constituted, 5000 pairs of trous-
ers a day are required merely TO replace
those worn out. and ordinary wear and
tear calls for a supply of shoes per
diem. Some notion of the requirements
which we have had to meet will be af-
forded by the statement that up TO
July l we forwarded 20 a single camp
at Chickamauea 81. 800 blankets. 49,
600 pairs of stockings, $4,000 pairs vi
shoes, SIS 1000 cotton undershirts. ITO. 000
pairs of cotton drawers and 5000 Ram
mel shirts. These are only a few of the
items.
After the supplies have been deliv-
cred at the camp it takes a little time
to unpack and distribute them, and de-
lay in this part of the business has been
caused by the inexperience of volun-
teer officers. If all the material OF
every description that we required had
been ready at hand in storehouses when
was was declared. the distribution of il
would have involved loss of time
Cooking apparatus for the troops had
to be furnished, and IL could not be
bought ready made; the Buzzacott ov-
ems. etc. had TO be manufactured.
OF course. this department has charge
Of all the business of transportation for
the army. We had TO buy wagons
mules and harness. Great bodies OF
troops had to be carried by rail across