New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-18
MILIT4RISN AND WAR PREPARATION.

NILITiPISN AND WAX PREPARATION.
The success of the United States in facing
the terrors Of tropical warfare with an army
largely composed Of volunteers has not been
unnoted in Europe. IT is easy 10 laugh at the
rawpess OF the militia, TO point out the failures
of the TRANSPORTATION and subsistence STATS. TO
criticlse the posting of troops and the plan OF
campaign but no faultfnding Of this character
invalidatps the lessons to be drawn from the
spectacle of men Of two or three months Train
Ing oheying orders implicitly facing death
bravely and fighting with the dash, II not win
the precision. Of Regulars. The defects OF our
Santiago campaign were apparently due 10 the
lack of headquarters preparation rather than
to failings the part Of the recruits. THIS
was to be expected. Congress had persistently
refused 10 provide central machinery ade-
ouate to handling d volunteer army should II
be called into existence, end suddenly ex-
banded staff had TO be improvised TO meet the
wants of the expanded Army. If it takes long
discipline TO make perfect private. what com
pletion Of system must be needed FOR moving
and eQupping a great army. and what ea
traordnary completeness Is needed if thar army
itself is raw one. But that perfect readiness
TO use an army 10 the best advantage when
men were furnished to form it had been denied
panjzstion 10 the bare necessities Of a petty
standing force This fact Is recognized IN Eu-
rope where the possibilities Of escaping the
burdens of militarism by providing really ade-
quate skeleton organizations for great armies
without putting the masses OF people into par
racks are being discussed
"rhe London Spectator looks TO General
Skaters army to answer the question. "Can
'half drilled or partly disciplined men do the
work of trained soldiers or supplement them
Sufficiently 10 make small regular armies
safe II they can. 1t thinks the benefit would
be ipcalculable. for energy could be saved. the
military spirit lie held in check. and at the
same time nations could DO prepared for de-
fence. or. il need be- for offence without undue
strain OH their resources. Every nation could
"dcfond itself II three months drill would make
"soders. for every nation. ii 1t pleases. can
afford artillery supply departments and sum
"cicrt body OF educated officers. The spec
tator" believes that even a German army would
think the conquest of Switzerland serious
undertaking. though there are no private sol
diers by profession In Switzerland except ar
tillery. and In III. Franco-Prussian War 1t sees
evidence that raw recruits were not 80 mucn
worse soldiers than other men. and 1t certainly
is true that France was overwhelmed IN the
matter Of handling and eQuippng armies rather
than in the matter OF courage and lighting mil
ity in her soldiers "Would Lord Roberts" 1t
asks. "or Lord Wolscey really object 10 take
''the London Scottish Volunteers under scen-
't!fcally trained officers into a serious action!
I'VE rather think they would very much like
"to be followed by such men as compose the
regiment from Michigan which fought before
Santiago"
In these days. when war Is more than ever
a matter Of science. the idea that a nation can
be prepared for even great war without en-
during the crushing weight Of mtarlsm Is in
tcrestinc particularly 10 the United States.
where u standing army proportonatc TO the
strength OF the Nation and its stake In the
posslhlc controversies OF the world Is not TO he
thought OF. For our part we do not think vol
untecrs at the outset however brave and IN
te!ligent. equal TO Regulars. The importance
Of Regular bodies sl,rnka1 among volunteers
70 steady men who. however courageous. lack
tho habit which no good intentions can give.
,s hardly TO be ovrrestima,cd The Civii war
showed their supreme usefulness. ana thls war
has only emphasized the lesson we shou'"
have Regular Army OF ai least lo0ooo men
For emergencies beyond their power we doup''
loss must rely OF volunteers ana there - rea'
son TO believe that with proper organization we
should never rely on them In vain. even against
a great standing army. But, as Iho spec