The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-03-14
THE ARMY MOBILIZATION.

a number of publications have been
made for some time past crtlcising the
management of the United States
Army, and declaring IT would be I'M
possible to mobilize any force that
would be in the least effective IN op-
posing (say) japanese army or 2oo,-
600 that might land on our west coast,
or "A German army of like or greater
numbers, that might land on our cast
coast. General Homer Lea, in his sen
sational book, "The Nalor Of lgnor-
ance." brought out very effectively, II
not sensationally, the impotence OF
the United States military forces IN
case of a serious military movement by
Japan against our west coast. Repre-
sentative Hobson has also been am
gent in urging the same plea, and Rep
resentative McLachlan of California
has been Insistent along the same lines
Mr. Clotworthy, in recent articles IN
the "World,s Work. magazine, has
gone more into detail in this matter,
and has shown that the United States
forces are scattered and not concen-
trated, so that movements or large com
mands are impossible IN the way of
training, and has dwelt upon the dlih-
! Guilty of mobilizing any considerable
military force at any point within the
country. In the March number OF that
magazine he said: Under our pres
ent organization we could not have
mobilized a single division of efficient
troops on the Mexican border within
sixty days, il the recent trouble In that
Republic had demanded the presence OF
such force
Taking this quotation as text. a
number of the Eastern newspapers are
pointing with derision to his statement,
in view of the mobilization of dlvis-
ion, with the possibility of mobl!lzing
second division, precisely at the point
where Mr. Cotworthy said it could
not be done This derision, however,
is premature; for, first of all, the dl-
vision isn't there yet, aud second, II
ism t strung along the Mexican border,
nor is ii likely TO be for some time TO
come. Many complaints are made OF
want of supplies from the few troops
that are already there, and we hear ol
the soldiers being unprotected from the
storms save by shelter tents That Is,
the troops that are already there arc
not there in condition for the best
service.
Specifically, however, 1T must be con
fessed that Mr.. Clotworthy's prime con
tention has been rcfutcd. y division
has been sent to the Mexican border in
far less than the sixty days in which
he said it could not be done. Besides
the need of second division there, II
we are TO perform our full duty as
neutral nei ighbor, begins TO be evident
although intent TO send the second Is
denied: and it is likely that these dl
visions could be distributed along the
Mexican border inside of the sixty
days fixed by Mr. Clotworthy.
After all, however, his contention
that the army should be brought to
pethcr for military training, for tho
benefit both of officers and men, re
mains good. Besides, what does a force
of this kind amount to as against thC
masses of modern armies that would b'
available as an aggressive torc'
AGAINST MS In case war were declared
The mobiIizing of division or two
divisions on the Mexican border Is |
small matter compared with the re
ouirements that would be necessary IL
case we were at war with my hrst
class power The truc intent and mean
ing of snch criticisms that are made
by General Lea, by Representative
Hobson and McLachlin, and by Mr.
Clotworthy, is that the United States
is not prepared for any real war will
Grst,class power. 1t appears to b.
the opinion Of the American peopl
that it is not necessary TO prepare TO
such a war As long as this opinion
prevails, it will, Of course, be lmpos
sible for us to put ourselves in a de
fensive position Oh that basis. In TIN
meantime, the criticisms of the writ
ings of Mr.. Clotworthy and other.
where those writings are now so muc
derided, are not in the least apple
able to the real point made by thos
|. gentlemen. who insist that the Unitet
States is, in fact, unprepared for war.