The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1910-07-23

day may be forced into the position of COM
Blatant.
The course that is followed by the Tinted
States government in making plans to conduct a
war In case war comes IS the course followed by
every great country Of the world and so no ma
t1on can take ofense because it is known that the
United States outlines plans to meet another coun-
try on the field, or on the high seas of conflict.
War games are played yearly in the army and ma
Wy closets" of all the great countries of the
world, and while they are called games, they have
certain grimness about them that is not at all
playful.
War with Great Britain is the remotest kind of
possibility, and yet board of naval officers and
a board OF army officers have prepared plans
which Will be put into service, unless the lapse
OF time renders them useless, in case such con-
h1ct shall occur The statement holds true
OF preparations for possible trouble with France,
Germany, Italy; Spain, Japan, Russia and all the
other great countries, and with countries of less
degree or strength, Importance and population.
Comparatively recently when it became known
that 1t would be necessary to reoccupy Cuba the
order for reoccupation came suddenly While no
one knew It definitely, every preparation for just
such contingency had been made by the army
board, and as soon as the order was issued trans
ports were ready and certain troops were desig-
mated for foreign service. and they were sent at
once ITO the front" properly equipped and with
every arrangement made for their travel and their
subsistence and with every plan made for their
course Of procedure when in the island.
Some time ago when it seemed likely that be-
cause of the activities of President Castro of Ven
ezuela, this country might have difficulty with tho
South American republic, republic In little more
than in name It would have been possible to have
invaded Venezuela with an armed force and to
have done It without much preliminary prepare
ton. Every inch of the Venezuela country like
ly to be traversed by an invading army was known
to the American authorities. The roads were
known. and every point Of vantage and disadvan-
tage was known. It had been said that it would
have been practically impossible for foreign
force to reach Castro in his fastness but the situa
ton and all its difficulties understood, and it
was the belief of the war game students in the
great Washington building which stands opposite
the White House, that Castro could be brought to
terms quickly, even though it must be done by q
comparatively small force sent from a great dis
lance.
While the members of the general staff of the
army make preparations for all demands that may
be made on the service In case war should come,
1t is what is known as the war college which
works out the actual problems of warfare Officers
are detailed as students at the war college and
while various kinds of work ara set for them to do
the most important is that of engaging in war
game inside the four walls OF the room, a game
which one day may have for the scene of its &C
tion territory thousands of miles in extent One of
the last plays which occupied the attention Of the