Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-04-23
TEXAS ARMY MANEUvERS SHOWED
WEAK SYSTEM, SAYS CEN. WOOD

20 q provide far trained army OF
defense ~ $50 900 men for little. II
ans. more than the average cost %
our present establishment. This can
be lone simply by bringing IN anoth-
or modern idea. which has been ac-
cepted as a matter OF course "a Ea-
rope FOR fifty wears.
The United States still retains. In
the principles Of us military cstah-
| lishmenf. the eighteenth century,
idea og a permanent standing army.
Our men are now enlisted FOR three
wear periods but every inducement is
made 20 Keen a man continuously 90
The army Up 70 the time when he
BIAS bad eighteen wears OF service. tho
more continuous terms man serves
gs common soldier. the more be
costs Ie cam Doe Thoroughly instruct.
I "a .u one period OF three wears. and
thsH should DE passed into an 1rgan-
/ Irel reserve Tor a period OF years.
luof 'e than four. The non-com.
lmtsIouel officers should De- encour.
laee1 % continue in service. as they
are an essential pant of the teachius
force.
The ahsurdity of the present sys-
TEN is brought ont by carrying It's
tendency to It's logical conclusion
the rounding out OF a fnll term of
thirty years service In the armv-at
which time YOU would have. accord.
ing 10 existing cost figures. over $40.
ooo invested in a man who is much
too old for war. This archaic system
OF standing army not only pro.
duCes poorer men at n maximum
cost. but u creates the situation
which now exists small stationary
body II soldiers.
The European Methods.
Tho European method Is to traid
as many members Of It's population
as possible to the use Of arms. Just
as thev are entering manhood at the
LACE when the training will create tho
least possible interference with their
economic power In the greater mill
/ tary powers like Germany. the term
OF service is two wears, In Switz,r-
land is only Two months. Frc-
the r.-ular service the soldiers pass
into % reserve of trained men. srh-
lect f0 olll in case of war
IT,. arm, j.. la fact great ui.i
thronah which the population Is pass
led AMI trained 10 bear arms IN th'.
way fIyopean countries produce tra.
Imend. MS armies az a minimum cost
IN M. way the Swiss republics. VIII
a population Of ono-half million. car
mobilize in three DAYS a trained army
lof .uu.0oo men perfectly equipped
Tor war. behind them is first re-.
serve. Of 100000, part of whom have
80 their time In the active army.
Aud It's military estai lishment costs
IN about five and one-haulf million
dollars a year.
This military training not ONLY
serves as a preparation for war but
Il is OF the greatest economic value
TO the countries concerned \ man
gets In Germany two years Of healthy
and athletic life lie Is taught TO TO-.
spect the duly constituted authori-
ties. he is taught respect for the fla,
and his oblgations to his country in
time OF war both his mind and body
are trained and fitted better 10 dis
Icharge the duties OF civil Ire
Through his improvement In physique
and hois disciplinary training. viii D
render him a more reliable arl dc
rendable employe in fact, a better
working machine
This country cannot have and at
present does not want. the compuls-
DRY military service nf European
countries But that would not pre-.
vent the adoption oi the modern
lmetnod OF training an army Of young
men by q short term OF active ser.
vice. to be followed by another per.
iod in reserve army. subject to cell
lrIon the outbreak of war.
No exact adoption oi tnis idea Tor
/ American use has vet been complete I
Iby The general staff. bat 10 is not D ard
10 now how b. could be used to fur
Irish this country with an odeuuate
TRAINED army OF defense.
A regular army of one hundre
thousand men sewing for three vcar.
would graduate some tVeuy-nv.
Thousand private soldiers a year n.,
9 reserve. the same army serving tvo
/ years would graduate atCut fo,ty
thousand II men we're required "a
serve four years in the reserve there
would be at the end OF folr yrats
with the common European two-yeai
torm-two hundred ard sixty .bou.
sand men in the regular army
There are now one hundred and
twenty thousand men in the militia
u this force. which Usually follow.
the regula' army in its regulations
should establish a three-vear resery,
service after its present term OF thrc,
years work. there would be at leasr
two hundred thousand militiamen IN
the country. In active sheryice or re-
servo Aforather there would a.