The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-03-21

lwould separate uG from them about
half the time. believe there is too
lmuch hysterical comment on the
American army both from its own
Iofficers and from the public and If the
Iarmy doesn't do one thing well It Is
because II Is kept busy doing others
There has never been a call made on
1t that 1t did not make good, and
there will never be anything required
lof 1t, that any other army can do,
THAT 1t will not do as well if given
intelligent Instructions in orders and
time to prepare for It..
Our cavalry, which combines all the
duties of the various troops of Europe
land elsewhere. and performs about all
of those of our infantry in addition Is
Expected to do on poor horses what Is
done In foreign armies on well-bred
well-selccted horses of gcntler breeds,
after long continued practice of both
horse and rider, together, of the one
particular movement. In addition,
the soldiers must do all the extra and
special duty performed by the Service
listed for these special duties, which
separate these soldiers from the horse,
and military duties, to the extent
of about so per cent. of their time.
In any reorganization of the army
the following are the reasons which
would seem to make desirable the
designation of an officer as chief of
cavalry who should be (cx-officio) a
member of the War Department Gen
eral Stan:
1. The rapidly increasing complex
ity of questions affecting the cavalry
arm--a consideration which formerly
applied to the so-called technical serv-
ices only. Among these questions
may be enumerated tactics and train
ing, arms and equipment, horses and
forage supply, veterinary service, cav
airy pioneers, etc.
2. The unquestioned relief from
the consideration of petty details
which the creation of such an,office
would afford the Chief of STAFF and
General Staff, leaving the former more
time to devote to broad supervisory
duties, and the latter free to devote
themselves to purely general staff
problems. The loss of the adminis-
trative efficiency may be compre-
hended In a measure were We
to imagine Chief of STAFF attempting
to administer the affairs of the Engi-
neer Corps and the Medical Corps,
subordinate officers, instead
of through their respective chiefs.
g. The increased esprit du corps
which would result from unity under
1t Chief of Cavalry; ana, under our
peculiar form of political government,
cavalry arm would have in being rep
resented at the seat of government
by a cavalry officer of proper rank
and attainments.
On the other hand, the evils which
might in time result from the creation
of the new office would be:
/. A constant tendency TO trans
cend the original powers bestowed by
law and regulations and to misappro-
pirate functions properly belonging to
the Chief of STAFF and his assistants.
q A constant tendency toward CEN
OF cavalry administration
IN Washington, infringing the rightful
powers of division and department
commanders.
These evils should be minimized by:
/ Holding the Chief of Cavalry
subordinate TO the Chief of
Staff
2. Appointing as Chief of Cavalry,
on the recommendation of the Board
of General Officers convened to rec
ommend officers for the General
STAFF, a Colonel of Cavalry, to have
the rank pay and allowance of
brlgadier-genetal the detail to fol-
low other details to the General STAFF,
In tenure of office and in returning
to the line for at least two years be-
fore reappointment.
3, Limitation by law of the assist
ant to the Chief of Cavalry TO two
officers only, not members OF the
General Staff, and effectually checking
any tendency TOWARD making the Of
flee of the Chief of Cavalry a new
bureau of the War Department. New
York World.