The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-05-11
Some Military Lessons.

In marked contrast with the course |
Of the Thirteenth regiment of Scranton,
the Thirteenth regiment OF Brooklyn
has been disbanded by order of the
Governor of New York state because
it refused to obey his order to present
itself at state camp. The men claim
they misunderstood the executives
command. They aver that they thought
the matter of volunteering to enter the
service OF the United States was op-
tional with them as individuals at their
homes. But even on the basis of this
explanation they stand condemned,
for the place to exercise this option is
at the state headquarters, and little
intelligent inquiry would have sufticed
to procure them that information.
Taken in connection with many other
incidents arising from the recent call
for volunteers, this action Of the Brook
iyn regiment teaches a number of val
liable lessons. One is that there needs
TO be a clear and exact definition of he
legal status of the National Guard, suf-
ticient to cover any and every cmer-
tcency, to the end that the very consid-
cradle and general confusion which has
attended this recent mobilization may
in future be obviated. 1t has been due
more to this widespread lack Of under
standing of the respective powers of
the state and federal authorities than
TO any inherent lack of ready patriot
ism among individual guardsmen that
hn
militia a disposition to dictate terms to
the federal government and to threaten
refusal to enlist unless existing militia
organizations are preserved intact. The
Pennsylvania guardsmen shared this
disposition for n time and talked eX-
ceedingly big until they came to realize
that it was the flag of the nation which
called for volunteers; then they fell
into line gracefully and soon became
the most eager for marching orders.
Another lesson taught by recent eX-
peclences and observations is that mil
itia, whether organized or unorganized,
furnish in time Of imminent national
hostilites a poor substitute for a large,
thoroughly disciplined and efficiently
differed regular army. Had there been
such an army in this country three
weeks ago, Cuba would today be in
American hands and the veXing ques-
ton of how 10 minimize the climatic
dangers of the Cuban rainy season up
on a raw army Of occupation consisting
largely of volunteers would not have
arisen. We say this without reflection
upon the Pennsylvania guardsmen,
who modified as quickly as any regu-
lar army could have done, but we say it
because in spite of exceptional divi-
sions among the National guard, it is
true of the guard as a whole that il is
not fitted to serve for purposes of ag-
gressive campaigning in lieu of a mill
tary force under continual and COM
plete subsection to the war department
at Washington.
Under modern military conditions, il
is absolutely imperative that an army
of invasion, TO be effective be compact,
precise and uniform in drill and equip
ment, and implicitly obedent to the
commanding authority. A force made
up hastily from state sources of vary
ing degrees of efficiency and with diff
fering standards of discipline may have
in 1t the elements of strength, but be-
fore these can be knit together much
valuable time will have TO be passed in
federal camps of instruction. Quick
action with such a force is a military
impossibility,