Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-12-12
WAR EXPERIENCE TEACHES
VALUABLE LESSONS.
MILITARY POWER TOO WEAK
Reports From English Sources as to
the Militia to be the Text for Rec
concentrations by Which State
Forces May be Made More Avail
able

The military authorities of the state
and those of the federal government
have recognized with keen disappoint-
ment that the national guard as a
support to the federal power in case OF
foreign war has failed to realize it's
promise, and that something must be
done to improve its relation Of
strength to the national forces.
To meet this difficulty as yet only
theories, not practical plans, have
been presented, but as the aim Of all
these is well in view the war depart
ment is hopeful that a satisfactory
solution of the problem will be reach
ed. Before the factor of territorial
extension entered into the policy of
the government the condition of the
military forces was not unsatisfactory.
Nominally the United States had a
million and quarter of men armed,
uniformed, drilled, brigaded, pervaded
by a good military spirit, well Off
cered and generously supported by the
several state governments. The one
military criticism passed upon them
was that these state forces did not in
Guide in reasonable proportions all
arms of warfare; that the infantry was
far too numerous relatively to the
cavalry and artillery; that the ord
nance departments were poor and weak;
that the troops of horse were fine
bodies of picked men, but entirely too
few and recruited from a class that
could not be expected to go into actual
service and be brigaded with cavalry
men recruited to meet the exigencies
of war It has further been pointed
out that many of the organizations
were military with such strong social
tendencies that discipline would be
imperiled upon any order for mobili-
cation that might break into the club
spirit.
This condition has been proved to
exist and notably in the case of New
York's swell social organizat ton, the
7th regiment, which absolutely re-
fused to volunteer unless the whole
staff of officers were retained intact and
the regiment should with reference to
it's line be maintained in its entirety.
The case of the 14th regiment, N. Y.
n. G., was almost as marked from the
same causes and it was deemed neces-
sary by Governor Black to disband it,
whole command by stroke of the
pen was wiped off the military
strength of the state. It was only by
meeting the wishes of Maryland's
social military organization, the 9Th
regiment, that it was secured to the
volunteer army in the late war, and
the records of the adjutant generals
Office are filed with similar entries,
noting the wishes of regiments and
troops, some Of them made in a men
acing tone, going SO far as to de-
clare that not only will the command
not volunteer except upon it's own
terms, but failing to secure those
terms no individual member should
enlist for active service.
During the time of peace and while
there was no near prospect of the ma
tional guard being called upon for ma
tional offensive warfare, the social
establishment in the national guard
was much encouraged. 1t was seen
that the club life Of the armory, the
balls, picnics, excursions and other
functions were an attractive source
of enrolment to the citizen soldiery.
The governors of states, with their
military staffs, were always ready to
attend them, and while the state au-
thorities had full command Of the
guard for the suppression of riots and
the preservation of order, which were
and are about the only uses to which
such troops can be summoned, there
was nothing to complain of. Still it
was noted with an apprehensive eye
that the boosted military strength of
the nation was numerical, not actual,
and that in a great emergency but
small percentage of the state troops
could be secured to form a volunteer
army or one under United States con-
troll.
Various reports were officially made
as to the military organizations of
Great Britain, which is the only one
of all the powers that could be con-
sidered as furnishing a lesson for the
gathering of our own forces, because
in all other countries the military SER
vice is exacted of every subject and
the armies of these powers are limited
only to the population of fighting age
and strength. Now carefully digested
report upon England's volunteer mill
tia and yeomanry forces is before the
secretary Of war, and it is expected
that some Of it with recommendations
will form a part of his next annual
report. Briefly it points out that each
regiment of foot is composed of four
battalions-two Of them being regulars
and two militia. One battalion Of
regulars is on foreign service, the
other on duty in the British Isles.
There are two great military mobili-
cations yearly, called the spring and
the autumn manoeuvres, when the
volunteer battalions join the regular