New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-05
ifrom The Tribune Bureau.

VI.
Washington, July T.
THE OTHER SIDE.-On this day. when
every public speaker In this land OF ora
tors is celebrating for the benefit Of more
or les! enthusiastic audiences the great
ness and beauties OF these great United
States. 1t Is hardly amiss to devote some
thought to one small section OF the other
side OF the shield. the responsibilities which
the greatness Of the country entails, and
the necessity for such military prepared
ness as may he needed for the protection
OF that independence which was born l3J
wears ago to-day II II Is the part Of Wis
| dom 10 profit by experience and by mis-
| takes then il is folly to deny that the
war with Spain found this country wo-
fully unprepared. and that, had Spain
been first class power or had her mill
tary establishment been in anything but
a hopeless state Of ineffcency. the story
of that conflict must have been the occa-
sion of shame ana humiliation to Ameri-
cans for all time Nor Is there any use in
Disgusting the fact that grave defects In
| the military organization have been dis
closed by the recent necessity of modifying
a small army in Texas. 1t Is not necessary
! TO minimize the progress made In order 10
realize the defects which remain Vast
| improvements have been achieved In the
| construction Of a navy since the war with
Spain. The coast defences. then either
! non-eXistent or hopelessly obsolete. have
| been modernized and almost perfected.
| The initial steps toward the establishment
of an efficient army-that is, the creation
/ of a General staff and the training OF stan
ofcers-have been taken. but that arm OF
the service which is. after ALL the bone
and sinew OF every army, the infantry has
been seriously neglected.
A GRAVE BLUNDER.-One serious
/ blunder. which, had it remained undiscov-
| cred until war broke out. must have cost
dearly. the abandonment Of the divisional
| organization OF the army. has been re-
vealed by the Texas mobilization. and has
been remeded, although this step has met
and is meeting with opposition in Con
gress. where The tendency to regard noth
/ the army and the navy as institutions con-
Quoted chiefly tor the benelt OF the loca
communities which may profit by tneir
presence. rather than as essentials 10 the
national defence and the national honor
and integrity. is ever present. Inc III
visional uni, is the one which must he
1 employed in time OF war. and. as the chief
function of The army i'm time Of peace Is
to prerare for war. II is difficult to under
stand what considerations prompted lis
abandonment for departmental organiza-
ton. a step which entaied a greater de-
: mand IN the commissioned personnel with
no corresponding benefit The mobilization
in Texas afforded striking proof That the
, staff winch has had to deal only with
department - lar from competent 10 dea
with the necessities Of a division. and had
rhe conditions which made that mobiliza-
ion necessary so developed az 10 have
rendered an invasion unavoidable. the de
fects Of the system would have been as
obvious 10 the public as they have been "a
the military authorities.
THE GREAT ESSENTIAL Serious as
defects If organization might prove now
eyer. defects Of personnel would he ever
/ more serious and more difficult tn remedy
and for this reason the military authori
ties are devotng large share OF Their
attention 10 the effort TO devise some syS
TEN Of general training which will be FREE
from the objections Of enforced military
service. while il will be equally productive
Of Individual efficiency. General Wood. IN
chief Of staff. has already suggested the
! advisabiitv Of 2 short term enlistment
probably Of six months duration, with tn
idea that many Young men who Would ID
reluctant 10 devote two years or more e
the requirement Of military training woul'
/ be willing 70 devote six months 70 the mill
tarv service, and would perceive in its attn
letic and disciplinary training, even aside
from patriotic considerations, abundan
| compensation for the time required. An
ether development If the same idea pro
vides for the military training Of youni
mon in the schools and colleges, such train