The Washington times., 1908-12-24
NEEDS OF THE ARMY
ARE SHOWN BY BELL
Annual Report Says 1t Is In
sufficient For Land
DefenSeS.
AMERICANS TODAY
ARE POOR SOLDIERS
Can't Care For Themselves Away
From Steam Radiator,
He Says.

General Bell. chief Of staff, says that
the United States has an army INSULT
cient to maintain the land defenses, and
that there is no chance Of recruiting
one from the body Of citizens, because
the latter-day civilian does not know
how to shoot or take care OF himself
away from the coddling warmth OF a
steam radiator.
He says other things. too, in his an
nual report made public today, which
ought TO make the man who boasts Of
the wonderful capability OF the average
citizen as "A soldier. sit UP and think a
little
1t is discouraGIng fact" says Cen
eral Bell, that in case Of a sudden out
break Of hOstilities with a first-class
nation there are not sufficient regular
troops in the country. even when re-
enforced by the national guard of the
various States. To form an army after
deducting the necessary force TO provide
a small garrison at our permanent posts
and the necessary infantry supports for
a. EeaCOast fOrtificatiOns. These latter
aFS defeHseless against n land force OF
the enemy unless provision has been
made for sufficiently strong support
ing force.
Conditions Changed.
The argument is frequently advanced
hat We have raised. organized. ana
equipped armies after the declaration
of war in the past and that we can do
II again. The conditions under which
battles OF the present day are fought
are so different from those in which we
nave been engaged in the past as not
10 admit Of Intelligent comparison
While engaged IN our Fast wars. with
the exception Of the war of 1898. there
was large proportion of the able
hodled men Of the nation available for
military service who were familiar with
lhe use OF firearms and who were
skilled marksmcu. Today practically
none OF our citizens know how 20 handle
and shoot modern rifles with auv degree
"f accuracy, and there is not sufHcienr
time To- train them after the outbreak of
hostilities.
considerable portion or tile citI-
zens Of our country believe that an
That IS required to make a soldier ON,
OF man is TO put him in uniform and
place a rifle in his hands such an idea
dangerous to the nation. can not he too
strongly opposed An infantry soldier
TO be efficient must be taught how 10
care for himself in camp. how TO march
10 cook his food, 10 observe the sani-
tary precautions for the preservation
Of his health. 10 perform patrol. recon
noissauce. and guard duty, to care for
and handle his rife, and, most import
ant Of all. 70 be able to shoot accurately.
Other Essentials.
The above constitutes some. but not
al. Of the essentials necessary to teach
recruits before they are Of any value
rs soldiers II the individual members
OF a command are not properly instruct
od, disaster is liable to ensue. II troops
are ignorant OF the sanitary measures
necessary for their health, or fail tn
observe them the general physical con-
ditiOn Of the army deteriorates and sick
ness or an epidemic form frequently
"nSueS- As an instance IL is only neces-
sary 20 cite the sick rate which existed
In our camps OF mobilization IN 1898
among our hastily raised organized
militia
The infantry arm Of our service is
too weak numerically for the services
required Of II, even in time Of peacs-
Since January l. 1895, many regiments
have spent more than half their time
IN a tropical climate, and, as . result
insufficient time is given in the United
states for the officers and men TO re- |
cover from one tour Of service abroad /
before another begins"
Cavalry Anticipated.
General Bell also wants better in !
fantry and says that the cavalry branch /
is antiquated.
The cavalry arm he adds. lis the |
only branch of the mobile army which |
has today an antiQuated organization
While the other arms were being reor-
Eanized and placed on a modern footing.
the cavalry was neglected No civilized |
nation claiming to have a modern army
has its cavalry arm organized as the |
american cavalry Is today. The best |
authorities agree that the most efficient 1
organization for the modern cavalry /
regiment is that of a small, compact.
mobile force Our cavalry regiment. |
with its three squadrons Of four troops /
each. is so large as to be unwieldy, and /
the same applies 10 It's squadrons."
The most crying need Of all, accord |
ing TO the report, is the deficiency Of
officers, owing 70 the fact that 69I were |
on detached duty away from their COM
i"olluS- VI Ila cohalllon he says.
Il have thus gone extensively 5Dto
the evils resulting from detached sery-
I've of officers, because I regard some
adequate remedy as the most urgent
need of the army at present. and no
-ausc, While the urgency OF remedial
legislation rs manifest to those init
mately familiar with the service. II ie
not at all obvious to the laymon Unond
whose proper understanding Of the situI
alton all hope of relief must DEPEND - !
Couldn't WITHSTAND