The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1910-12-28
UNPREPARED.


and read there the story Of the first
siege IF Richmond, the battles VI
Bloody Lane. Peach Orchard, Nal,
vern Hill and dozen Others, the re.
treat of the federal army upon Wash.
ington, and the tremendous confusion
and lack Of system which prevailed
throughout the campaign, both with
the union and confederate troops, and
you find there the best answer possible
to the people who insist that the United
States needs no army; that it can
muster troops and prepare to fight
with any power on earth after war has
been declared.
That campaign illustrated the fact
that it takes time to train an army.
Had the union army in that CAM
paign been thoroughly drilled <and
prepared for the great battles in which
it was engaged, it might have driven
the confederates back into Richmond,
and ended the war. Instead Of that
the conflict ragged for years afterward,
and at tremendous cost.
The report of Secretary Of War
Dickinson, which has just been made
public, calls attention to the fact that
in case the United States should be
called upon to 60 to wal with some
first class power, such as Germany,
Japan or England, it would be almost
helpless for a long time, in case the
enemy was able to make a landing or
American soil with an expedition Of
100000 men.
1t would be difficult, if not impos-i.
BILE, to prevent such landing. The
coast line is too long to make it posi-
bic for the feet to guard all points at
once. 1t might be possible to destroy
the convoying battleships if the Amer
lean fleet could find them, but it is
very doubtful whether the invading
fleet could be caught before it had
landed the hostile army on the coast.
The chief object of Il power like
Germany or Japan, in case of war,
would be to land troops on the Amer
lean coast, and sweep the country far
and wide.
According to the army experts. the
should be prepared to put into
the field an army of 10000 men on
ten days notice, as a first line Of
defense" 1t is figured that with
force Of this size ready to come to the
colors the first quick attack of the
enemy could he repulsed and the
nation would then be practically i'm.
because no nation can nope
to conquer country like this if the
country is given time TO prepare itself
to fight.
The millions of armed men in
Europe or in Japan are Of no great
menace to us except in their power to
strike so quickly that We are unpre.
pared to parry the blow. We would
be obliged under present conditions to
oppose such a force with scattered
regular army of about $4,000 and
100000 state militia who are i'll pre-.
pared for service as minute men,"
And it would take time to collect |
his unmatured army; it would be im-
to pit them at once against the
Of Japan or the seasoned sol.
Tiers of Germany.
The question is whether it is not
,ood plan to take out insurance
gainst a REPETITION of such misfortunes
IS followed the first seige Of Richmond
y preparing a reserve army of sufii-
lent size to be able to respond quickly
nd effectively to a call to arms.
Army men seem to be unanimous in
he opinion that such a course is the
My safe policy, and in the secretary
f war they have found q staunch sup
Orfer (kon Iou..oI