The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-12-12

one must consider both the army and
navy. Our fleet, which now operates
as a whole, would keep the enemy
away from the ports. and the army
would be on hand to supplement the
| coast defenSeS in case the enemy
should pass our navy and approach
the land. The Secretary firmly be
lieyes in a stronger army, and says
that it is a necessity TO our national
protection.
In speaking of the preparation OF
the army for war in my talk with
General Wood l referred to the story
told of General Won Moltke at the
time that the Franco-Prussian war
broke out. AS that story goes, Won
Moltke was sleeping in his house when
a messenger arrived and walked him
with the news that war was declared.
He then said: well. tell them to go
to file 1868 and take out the instruc-
tons in box 54 and act upon them"
Thereupon he turned over and went
to sleep. l will not be sure as 10
The numbers of the file box. but tnlt
was the gist of the story.
I understand that his same sort %
preparation is now going on in our
War Department. The army has been
organized as a great fighting machine.
and it is being put into such shape
that the pressing Of a button or the
| pulling Of a lever will bring every part
Of the machinery into action. Th@
| various departments are being sys-
tematized, and instructions have peen
| made for the movement of the troops
ard the handling Of the ammul,i'Ion
and supplies for every contingency.
This is SO as to every branch of IN
regular army n as to every ofiioe CT
in it. It is so OF the supply depots
and as to the trains and the plans to
be followed in case volunteers are
needed. The militia is a part If the
plan, and it is the aim of the Dc
partment to bring about such II Union
of the regular army and the militia
that they can be handled together
smoothly and efficiently in ase Of War.
At present the most of the militia
companies of the United States ale
being instructed and aided by officers
Of the regular army detailed for the.n,
and the militia is to a certain ex;~nt
supported by the National GovAcn-
ment and encouraged by it.
The Value of the Army.
The Secretary Of War has a great
respect for the army and says that
it is worthy the respect Of all the
people. Said he:
"The army has done a great deal
for the country, in addition to that
for which it has credit. Take, for
instance, its work in improved sani-
tation. You know Of the object les
son at Panama where our troops prac-
tically wiped malaria from the Canal
Zone n gave us an object lesson
which has made healthy many parts
Of the United States until now con-
sidered not SO. 1t was the army which
discovered how to wipe out the yellow
fever. That was in Cuba, and it was
through the information gained there
that that terrible plague has been re-
moved from our gulf and South At
lantic oas cities. Men interested in
the commerce Of the South tell me
that yellow fever has in the past cost
on the average something like $50,-
100000 per n Now. 1t costs only
about s80,00O,O00 to maintain the
army, SO you see hat in this yellow
fever discovery alone the army has
earned fve-eighths OF it's cost.
Moreover continued the Secre-
tary. "the army is one Of our great
educational forces. Nearly every
soldier has been to the Philippines
or the West Indies and every officer
has had the benefit Of foreign rayel.
Our war with Spain has broadened
US in our knowledge of geography.
1t has made US a world power, and
we feel that we are a part Of the
whole world and a factor that must
be considered as to all that goes on
with it.
1.-The army is also a training school
in patriotism. 1t makes men and pa
triots. 1t offers opportunities to the
ambitious. The West Point graduate
is at the beginning of his career when
he leaves school. He has a short
term in the service, and if he makes
good there he car continue his educa-
ton in the schools at Fort Riley and
Fort Leavenworth, and from there
can advance to the War College at
washington and be a part of the staff
or brains of the army. The private
has plenty Of chance for
ment. He can rise to be an officer
and can make a place for himself"