The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-11
TO ENLARGE THE ARMY.
General Miles Plan of Reorganization
Meets with Favor.

From the Chicago Chronicle.
General Miles is very anxious to have
the numerical strength of the United
States army increased. To double the
present organization would seem to be
about the right thing from his point of
view. There is not an officer of field or
line who does not approve of this idea
although possibly willing to accept a
much smaller proportion of increase. In
this the gentlemen of the army are prac-
tically alone. Yet there are certain contin-
gencies which seem to point out the de-
STABILITY of a partial reorganization of
the existing force. The particular form
Of reorganization suggested is the reduc-
ton of the infantry and a corresponding
increase in the artillery arm.
If the suggestion were acted upon its
possible ultimate result would be the in
crease of the army desired While the
friends of the movement show def
cheney in the artillery arm when the
enormous extent of seacoast is consid-
cred, no army in the world has as large
Il force of artillery in proportion to its
total effective strength. In light field
guns, however. Uncle Sam is by no means
as strong relatively as any other power
Under the present organization the ar
ttllery arm consists of five regiments of
three battalions each. Twelve batteries to
the regiment is the fun complement. OF
the 60 batteries only 10 are field batteries
This limits the present field force to 40
guns.
Officers of the army certainly make out
fairly strong case of the defenseless-
ness of this country. While recognizing
the bravery of the people and never
doubling the ultimate success of Ameri-
can arms, they show that a disciplined
force cannot be established in a day or in
many weeks. They say that i'm the war
of the rebellion one mob faced another
similarly rDmDoSpd neither Of
per cent. of drilled and disciplined SOL
diers. 1t took most of the war to reduce
the volunteer forces to anything approxi-
mating the effectiveness of the great Eu-
ropean armies of to-day. They say an
army of 100000 men could invade and
march through the United States now
before force adequate to stopping it
could be organized, equipped and made eff
fective.
1.-The fact is" said an officer of rank
yesterday. that the people do not realize
our exact position We will prove a great
big China for some little Japan one of
these days. | doubt If there are small
arms of modern pattern enough in the
land now to equip $1,000 men. Even with
such force what could be expected
against a force five times that number?
l have no doubt that in the end we would
win, but at what an enormous cost OF life
and TREASURED II will not do to sit down
and boast Of the impregnability of the
try whipping us L am patriotic enough to
believe that we would ultimately defeat
any nation on earth. but a good tight
war would show some of our present
weaknesses in a manner never to be for
gotten. OF course any expressions by an
army officer are regarded as blooming"
his business, but facts are stubborn and
cannot be gainsaid.
II do not agree wholly with the sug-
gestion you make. l agree in the advsa-
billty of increasing the artillery arm
Congress has been working on coast de-
fenses for years. and will probably con-
tlnue along the same lines: These de-
lenses must be manned and more men
in that arm of the service will of neces-
sity be provided. But to reduce the infan-
try arm is not to be considered either rs
practicable or safe. The idea that the
army is to be held merely as an organized
police force for use near centers of pop
ulation Is false one. Its purpose is 10
have an organized force ready 10 meet
that of any other power attempting 10
invade our land.
1T Is true that danger of Indian out
breaks has passed i'm great degree. Pos
sihly we will never again have an Indian
war. Certainly many a post on the from
tier has been abandoned because the rea
sons for its being have passed away Rut
when you consider that we have fewer
men in all the arms of the service than
any other power not rated with tba ,rst
or even second class of the nations 90
the earth. you can see how backward this
nation is in the matter of defense Eor
onense IN case OF war We would have 10
use some OF our army as a nucleus ana
enlist volunteers. We are lust az do,
cient in the infantry arm for brisk war