The evening times., 1898-08-11
wAReeN PAPER.
It Follows Al Real Wars and Never
80 -
Makes Peace

1t Follows Al neal Wars and Never
Makes Peaee.
The controversy over the inefiicicncy of
somebody at Na4Yaso or Washington is
regarded by M New York Commercial
Advertiser as me beginning of the inevi-
table paper war which follows every war
in the field. It says: mo one knows
when it will esd. That over our civil war
is in Its lusty prime. and that over the
strategy Of Nspoleon and Wellington has
reached an indefinite green old age There
is no peace treaty for paper wars. They
are not without. a certain practical value
to contemporaries and value historical
as well as technical to posterity. The
chief current value Of spost-bellum dis
cussion ID for1 the light 1t throws on
the efficiency OF national arms and ma
tional organization for offense and de-
Tense. the discovery 1t make of weak
points and the valuable suggestions II
contains for army and navy reform.
1.-The current discussion promises to I've
extremely valuable as to the army. but
almost worthless as to the navy. There
Is only a personal interest in the latter.
Contemporaries care little more than pos
terity will care how credit is divided
among commanders for performances
which reveal a state OF efficiency almost
ideal. and reflect eternal glory on every
one professionally connected with the
navy. both stan and line. from all heads
OF departments for the past fifteen years
down to fainting fremen who fought
those who sought to carry them away
from their work. Where there is nothing
but glory to share. discussion Is more
agreeable than profitable.
"In the case OF the army the discus
sion takes very different turn. The
fighting line Of the regular army has
gained undying glory by heroic achieve
ments under most discouraging difficult
ties. but its performance has been SO
uniformly high that there Is small room
for contention and nobody cares TO
make comparisons injurious to untratn-
ed and ill-armed volunteers. But IL there
were some little contention for personal
glory, 1t would be lost in the fierce and
furious battle, all along the line, from
the Secretary Of War down to the low
est stan officer charged with any re-
sponsibility for army administration
over the distribution of blame for al
most fatal neglect and error. There is
no harsher comment on the conduct of
the war by the general staff. than the
fact that nearly all the post-bellum dis
cussion Is frantic recrimination among |
departments and furious bandying of re-
sponsibility for hideOus blundering from |
one to another. |
This kind of discussion is not pleas |
ant. but 1t is likely to be fruitful. Out |
Of II will come strong light on the weak |
places in our army organization. Con- |
sressional inquiry will crystalline hot and |
vague charges into definite knowledge of |
what is needful to make the army eff
,ient. II the experience Of the navy is
,f any value. the first step should be to
make 1t purely professional national
service. as free from the corruptions of
politics as from the feebleness of anna
eur effort. The navy makes war well
because II is trained to make war. The
army will be equally efficient with the T
'ame training"