The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1901-12-05

Our peop.c iutend 10 abide by the Monroe
Doctrine and 10 insist upon IL a> the one
sure means of securing the peace OF the
Western hemisphere The Navy offers us
the only means Of making our insiStance
upon the Mrnrce Doctrine anything but
subject Of derisioa to whatever nation
chooses To disregard II. We desire the p ace
which comes as Of right to the Just man
armed: not the peace granted on terms Of
ignCminy to the craven and the weak Ing
1t is not possible 10 improyise navy after
war breaks out. The ships must be built
ard the men trained long in advance. Some
auxiliary vessels can be turned into make
shifts which Will do In default of any better
for the minor work, and proportion Of raw
men can he mixed with the highly trained,
their shortcomings being made good by the
skill Of their fellows: but the efficient fight
ing force Of the Navy when pitted against
an equal opponent will be found almost eN-
clusively In the war ships that have been
regularly built and in the officers and men
who through years of faithful performance
Of sea duty have been trained To handle their
formidable but complex and delicate weap-
ems with the highest efficiency In the late
war with Spain the ships that dealt the de
been launched from two to fourteen years.
and they We're able 10 do as they did because
the men In the coming towers. the gun tur-
rets, and the engine-rooms had through long
years of practice at sea learned how to do
their duty
While awarding the fullest hOnor to the
men who actually commanded and manned
the ships which destroyed the Spanish sea
forces iu the Philippines and In Cuba, we
must not forget that an equal need OF
praise belongs to those without whom
neither blow could have been struck. The
Congressman who voted years In advance the
mcaey TO lay down the ships. to build the
guns. to buy the armor-plate: the depart
ment officials and the business men and
wage-workers who furnished what the Con
cress had authorized: the Secretaries of the
Nav -h.s l-aA f..- HaI rh. N
propriations; and finally the officers who, in
fair weather and foul. on actual sea ser
Vice. trained and disciplined the crews of
the ships when there was no war In SIGHT
all are entitled 10 full share in the glory
Of Manila and Santiago. and the respect ac-
corded by every true American to those who
wrought such signal triumph for our coun-
try. II was forethought and preparation
which secured rs the overwhelming triumph
OF IS?S. II we fail to show forethought
ana preparation now. there may come II
time when disaster will befall us instead OF
triumph: and should this time come. the
fault will rest primarily. not upon those
whom the accident OF events puts In su-
preme command at the moment, but upon
these who have failed to prepare In ad-
rancs.
No Ce.sation in the Work.
There should be no cessation In the work
OF completing our Navy. So far insenni y
has been wholly unable to devise subs;i-
tute for the great war craft whose hammer
Ing guns beat out the mastery Of the gh
seas. IL is unsafe and unwise not to provide
this year fer several additional battle ships
and heavy armorei cruisers. with auxiliary
and lighter craft in proportion; for the ex-
act numbers and character / refer you to
the report of the Secretary OF the Navy.
But there i something We neei even more
than additional ships, and this Il additional
officers and men
To send any war ship against compe-
tent enemy unless these aboard IL have been
trained by years Of actual sea service. In
clrding incesSant gunnery practice, would be
to invite not merely disaster. but the bitter,
est shame and humiliation. Four thousand
additional seamen and one thousand addi-
tional marines should be provided; and an
Increase in the officers should be provided by
making a large addition to the Classes at
Annapolis.
he used until II wears out. for only SO can
IL be kept fit to respond to any emergency.
The officers and men alike should be kept
as much as possible on blue water. for Ii Is
there only they can learn their duties rs
they should be learned. Every detail ashore
which can be performed by a civilian should
he so performed, the officer being kept for
his special duty In the sea service Above
ALL gunnery practice should be unceasfnS-
We now have seventeen battle ships ap-
for. Of which nine are completed
ana have been commissioned for actual ser
vice. The remaining eight will be ready In
least that time TO recruit and train the
men to fight them. II Is Of vast concern
that we have trained crews ready Tor the
vessels by the time they are commissioned
The men must he trained and drilled under
i thorough and wellp,anned system of pro
greSsive Instruction. while the recruiting
must be carried on with still greater vigor.
Every effort must be made TO exait the
main function Of the Oiiicer-the command
OF men. The leading graduates Of the Naval
Academy should be assigned 10 the comba-
tant branches. the line and marines
The Naval Militia forces are State organi-
cations. and are trained for coast service.
and in event of war they will constitute the
inner line OF defense. They should receive
hearty encouragement from the general gov
rnment.
for a National Naval Reserve. organized and
trained under the direction Of the Navy De
partment. and subject to the call OF the
Chief Executive whenever war becomes I'M
mlnent. 1t should be real auxiliary 10 the
naval seagoing peace establishment, and of
fer material 20 he drawn on at once Tor
manning cur ships in time cf war. IL should
be composed OF graduates of the Naval Acad-
envy, graduates of the Naval Militia, officers
and crews of coast-line steamers. long'hore
schooners. fishing vessels. and steam yachts,
together with the coast population about
such centers as life-saving stations and hight
houses.
The American people must either build and
maintain an adequate navy or else make up
their minds definitely to accept secondary
position In international affairs, not merely
In political. but in commercial matters II
has been well said that there Is No surer
way CT courting national disaster than TO be
"opulent. aggressive, and unarmed-
Increase OF the Army Unrec .ssary.
Ii Is not necessary to Increase our Army
beyond Its present size at this time But IL
Is necessary to keep il at the highest point
OF efficiency. The individual units who as
are. We have good reason to believe. at least
as efficient those CT any other army In the
entire world. IL is our duty TO see that
their training Is OF u kind to insure the high
est possible expression OF power TO these
units when acting in combination.
The conditions OF modern war are such aS
to make an Infinitely heavier demand than
ever before upon the individual character
and capacity of the officer ana the enlisted
man. and TO make II far more difficult for
men to act together with effect. At present
the fighting must be done in extended order
which means that each man must act Tor
himself and at the same time act In com
hination with others with whom he Is no
onger in the oid-fashioned elbow-to- elbow
touch. Under such conditions few men or
the highest excellence are worth more than
many men without the special skill which Is
only found as the result or special training
applied to men of exceptional physique and
morale. But nowadays the most va!uabe
lighting man and the most difficult 10 per
feet Is the rire.nan VINO Is also q skllilul am
daring rider. The proportion Of our cavalry
regiments has Wisely been Increased. The
American cavalryman. trained To maneuver
and fight with equal facility on foot ami ON
horseback. Is the best type OF soldier FOR
general purposes now TO be found in the
world.
Every effort should he made TO bring the
Army TO constantly Increasing state OF
efficiency. When on actual service no work
save that directly In the line Of such service
should he required. The paper work In the
Ariny. as in the Navy. should be greatly re
iuced. What is needed Is proved power Of
and capacity 10 work well In the
ield Constant care is necessary to prevent
Try rot In the transportation and commits
,ary departments
Our Army Is 81 small and much seat
cred that IL Is very difficult TO give iha
higher officers taS well Us the lower officers
md the enlisted mem n chance to practice
naneuvers In mass and on a comparatively
arge scale. In time Of need no amount cf
Individual excellence would avail against the
PARALYSIS which would follow inability TO
work as coherent whole. under skillful and
laring leadership. The Congress should pro
ride means whereby IL Will be possible 10
nave field exercises by at least division of
:. gulars. and IL possible also division OF
national guardsmen. once year
Army Reorganization.
Much good has already come from the act