The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-22
TIE NEW GENERAL STAFF CORPS.

tAOn, many Oh tn0 wuooD "a tIl0 uA1OnAio
are in active operation and fair running
order. II 10 true that much Of the ma
chinery was on hand at It's beginning. but
much Of IL was In q disconnected state and
was run In somewhat haphasard manner.
The element most greatly needed II now
being introduced, That Is. system.
The extent and the complexities Of tho
ordinary routine Of the War Department
are little realized by the American people.
The housing. feeding. clothing and arming
OF military force even no larger than our
Regular army IL no simple process, but IL
is perhaps the simplest part Of the work Of
providing an efficient army. Even In this
branch Of the work confusion was rampant
under the old system. Nominally, respon-
sibility rested with presumably competent
men. Actually. it rested with 10 many.
competent and incompetent, that its real
location was usually difdcult and often
impossible Yet the fault lay with the
system rather than with the individual
officials. Under the new plan 1t is hoped
and believed that all this will be avoided
The various departments, the Quarter
masters. Subsistence. Medical. Ordnance
and the others. will be 80 organized, and are
being 30 organized that the department
heads in Warrington will be in direct con-
tact, through their subordinates, with the
| supply and issuance Of equipment, food,
pills. bullets, and all else to the troops,
whether they are stationed at Governors
Island, the Preside, or at MAyague8,
Guantanamo. Apavri or Bongao. This is
all routine work, but It is Of vast impor-
tance and demands that which 1t has not
hitherto received, thorough and effective
systematizing.
Yet this is only one part, and that not
the most important. Of the work Of the
General Stat Corps An army may be the
best equipped best housed, fed, clothed
and generally cared for OF any army in the
world. All thai ia the mechanics Of war,
vastly important and absolutely necessary
But it Is useless without that which IL now
going on IN the new department, the brain
work. Much of this neither appears to
nor appeals to the majority Of our people
All that Is seen by most Of US Ia that when
war comes. soldiers appear, are sent on
service, endure the inevitable privations Of
war, fight battles, win battles, and dis
appear with the conclusion Of hostflities
peace with little thought Of what that prep
aration really means. Manc suppose that
1t means little more than the provision of a
suitable supply Of arms and ammunition
to be served out to men who will turn up.
as they always have, when they are called
for But that is only one part of the me-
chanics Of war, and ia Of little use unless COM
petently supported by those unseen and
little known forces Of intelligence by which
men and arms are given direction which
makes them effective.
Among the specified duties Of the Gen.
eral STAFF Corps there appears the following:
ITO prepare plans for the national defence and
for the mobilization Of the military forces In time
OF war"
In compliance with this, competent men
duly trained in their profession are study
ing. investigating and formulating plans
Of record for use in tho possible event Of
war with any nation with which it 10 possible
for the United States to come into conflict
1t is being determined just where bodies
Of troops can best be assembled and by
what means and systems Of transportation
they can be most quickly gathered together.
1t Is being determined how troops can be
most quickly massed at points on our coast
and borders where attack might DO made
by an invading army, and how those
troops could be most effectively handled
in resisting such an attack.
ITO investigate and report on all questions Affect
ing the efficiency Of the Army an Its state OF prep
arauon for military operations"
This includes not only the forces Of the
Regular army, but as well the Volunteers
and the militia. Assuming the attack Of
an enemy at Portland, at Charleston, at
Galveston San Francisco, or Puget Sound.
1t is necessary to know the Immediately
available force in the vicinity Of each, its
readiness for service, and its ability to hold
it's ground until reenforcements can be
brought to its support.
These are perhaps the essential features
Of defensive campaign. There remains
the possibility Of a war In which the United
States must invade a foreign soil. This
throws upon the General STAFF Corps the
duty OF studying the possible theatres
of war and OF strategic questions in general:
with the collection Of military information
Of foreign countries" as we'll as our own.
While all this work centres in Washing
ton. by no means all of it Is done there
The country Is divided into military dis
tricts, or departments, each in command
Of a general officer. The staff Of these Of
fcep includes representatives Of each Of
the divisions of the General Army STAFF
Other men are assigned to special duties
and for special investigations at home and
abroad. Fitness is the basis OF their selec-
ton and appointment. Out Of the work
Of all information is accommodating plans,
maps, surveys, facts and figures are being
gathered and prepared, upon which will be
based any campaign which may come into
our future experience. The crucial test Of
it all naturally lies in such a campaign.
But the citizens Of our land should rest
more easily from a knowledge that the
plumbers and the confusion Of the Spanish
American War stand a chance OF being
partially il not entirely eliminated from
another one.
The work Of the General STAFF Corps ID
one Of the Inducements OF our nat ionAl
life. But it has to be done, and 1t Ia now being
well done. One unfortunate feature pre-
sents itself in connection with the work.
1t has seemed necessary to make the imme-
diate headship Of the organization, the
position Of Chief Of STAFF, a place Of honor
able reward for past service. 1t should
rather be place in which tried ability
should be given opportunity to qualify