The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-11-12
MILITARY REORGANIZATION.

officials in the War Department toward
organizing the National Guards Of the
various States, and the militia Of the
country. SO as to make them available
as q second line OF defense or ofIcuse
rs the case might be. if military need
requires. This is, doubtless, in accord
with the report issued by tho War Do
partmcnt in August That report on
I"Thc Organization Of the Land Forces
of The United States contains tho
broad outline of comprehensive mill.
tarv policy and reorganization of our
military strength. Secretary Stimson
in sending out the report, says that
the general statf has been directed
TO proceed with q detailed study OF
the plan with The view of securing spe-
ci6c recommendations for the execu-
tive and legislative action necessary to
carry the policy into effect. Com
ments and suggestions with view of
perfecting the policy are invited, and
the report referred TO is published for
the consideration OF the army, the
National Guards, and all others who
are interested in the development Of
a sound military policy for the ma
ton.
| The report is a comprehensive one,
and IL outlines in scientific wav the
problem involved. 1t is pointed out
that the United States is conspicuously
lacking among the great nations in
any systematic plan OF presenting a
strong battle line, and keeping that
| line intact. The casualties of war will
| inevitably weaken the battle line The
| great desideratum then presents itself
as TO the best method of filing up
that line. Heretofore it has been by
| the organization Of new military forces
under the command Of volunteer ofl-
GERS Of little or no military experience,
and sometimes totally lacking in mili-
tary capacity. These new organiza-
tions also are practically useless for
good while, partly because of the con
stitutional requirement that they should
be officcred by appointment OF the
States. To the States is also reserved
the training of this militia. Too Of
ten the result Of this is lnefficiency,
lack of promptuess, and want of sin.
cere cooperation between State militia
and the National forces. But the
great lack in such case is the lack Of
training, both by the volunteer Off.
GERS and the volunteer rank and file
The disastrous military waste con-
ncctcd with this method Of reinforcing
the line is plainly pointed out, and it
is further pointed out that though the
general efficiency of the organized mil
tia Of the States has been greatly I'M
proved, "Do acts of Congress can ex-
tend tho scope of its employment rs
militia OF modify the restricted funda-
mental law upon which the whole mill
tia structure is based;' and it is point
War ''vere citizen soldiers, but they
were not militia and. further, that
our constitution and our history con
firm the dictum that citizen soldiers
may he made successful for general
military purposes, but that organized
as militia they may not. According gly,
the report favors the organization OF
reserve camps and direct enlistment
in the National military forces. BY
sucn direct enlistment and the estab-
lishmeut of camps of instruction, the
citizen soldiery is soon made ayaila-
bic, and it is thus made available whom
ever tho military needs OF the nation
require. This is something that The
Tribune has urged for many years as
tho only practical solution of our
chaotic military condition when stress
Of war comes
The plan contempIatcs strong mil
itary organization, not so much by
way OF increasing the present num-
bers of the army, but by keeping tho !
organizations intact. IL is said that
the three company officers can fairly |
handle $50 men. That, therefore would |
be presumably the number OF men that |
the company would comprise. Enlist |
mcnts would be called for, and the |
service would he made nominalv six |
years; but in fact only three wears !
IN active service and three years more |
in the reserve. In this way il is cx. |
pected that Il very large reserve could |
be built up within a comparatively I
short time. of mon sufficiently trained |
IN military tactics TO take their places |
IN the firing line Immediately at need. |
The plan should also contemplate The |
Strengthening OF the roster OF officers |
in tho army, and The use OF the re- |
tired officers for tbc purpose Of in
struetion IN the reserve camp BY A |
thorough. systematic effort Of this kjnI, !
the army Of the United States. while |
uouiinslly weak as compared with the |
armies of the great nations OF Eu-
roPc, would soon be actually on par
with them at small cost. by reason of |
the heavy reserves which could thus
be built up. and from these reserve |
camps the casualties Of the battlc line