The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1908-02-13

RUARY 13, 1908.
efficient and we'll equipped army in
time Of peace. We OIL this side of the
Atlantic must ever remember Wash
lngton's advice, "Instime of peace pre-
pare for war" The problem before
men'i ioned resolves itself into this
Can democratic and
fre+dom-loving people-Whose rulers
are given brief authOrity-successfully
organize aud maintain large standing
armies in time of peace? The soln-
tion of this problem is causing con-
siderable anxious thought to American
and English Secretaries of War. Eng
lands Secretary of War, boldly and
plainly stated in the House of Parlia-
ment that conscription was the only
remedy, and at Washington this opinion
has been agreed on as both possible and
necessary in the immediate future.
This decision transfers the discussion
to the comparative efficiency of armies
maintained under autocratic and dem
ocratic institutions, and the writer
feels he is Oh safe ground when he as
serts that history shows the efficiency
Of the military establishment depends
ON the degree Of autocratic power
welded by the head of the state, and
he cites the German army of today
and the Roman army In the time of
Caesar as instances to prove the COR
rectness of his assertion. .C1u
The organization and discipline of
Alexander the Greats army during
his campaigns ending with the battle
Of NArbela when he defeated the Per-
sian army under Darius. The cam
paigns of Julius Caesar, the orgalliza-
tion and discipline of his legions, were
the admiration aud study of Napoleon
The iron-clad discipline of Caesars
4 army etIabiett him TO go any where and
4 do anything in strange countries, amid
hordes Of half civilized people. It was
customary for the Roman soldier aftel
hard days march, to construct q
fortified camp. How we'll and faith
: fully this task was performed is showr
today by the remains of their camp,
over parts of France, Spain and Eng
land. The wonderful discipline OF th'
Roman army has never been equalled
f, The instance Of the Roman sentry il
: Pompeii dying at his post while the in
! habltants of this city were fleeing pan
ic stricken from the shower Of vol
canic dust, proves that this soldier pre-
ferred death to disobedience of orders
This marvellous discipline influence,
: social and political life and was tn
means by which Rome conquered, gov
> erned aud assimilsted th0se compile.
J elements that composed the Romal
Empire. These results were accom-
plished under autocrstic rule-a DEF
r potism never equalled for cruel an
/ sanguinary methods of government.
d Whatever may be the merits or d.
Q merits of Napoleon's plan for gres
u federated government of Europea
3 States, no one will ever accuse him G
n being democratic or a constitutions
!, ruler. He believed in autocracy, on
q man power. Consequently, his view
o on army Organization are we'll Wort
3 considering. He said: "There 'nevs
f was greater popular error than to b.
y lieve that it is possible to create a
b army in few months or few year
c, A soldier in any branch Of my arm
+ must serve at least seven years befol
ID he is eligible to become member {
sr my guard regiments. 1 consider 20,O(
S. of my guards to equal 100000 cor
n posed of soldiers having less exper
e, ence." In view of the foregoing il
Il stances proving army efficiency d
10 pendable on autocratic government
"a what hope can free America have
n organize and maintain a large stan
~ ing army, without Introducing Il
Or methods of despotic or centralizs
a power. As our army is constituted t
g day. there is an impossible social gu
g between the enlisted man and Il
at West Point commissioned Office
n Quite q few enlisted men have succes
q fully passed examinations aed won
commission, but anyone who is W,
in acquainted with army social life, kno
ly the snubs and houndings endured
those who have come up from t
n ranks. IT is the writer's humble opi