The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-06-19
NOT PREPARED FOR WAR.

In recent statement Mr.. Stimson,
| Secretary of War, stated that we arc
not prepared for WAT, which IS true
enough for the United States has new
broke out. But an Eastern contempor-
airy, combating Secretary Stimson 3 ef-
fort to get the country at least some
what prepared for p war that might
break out, states that GIVE have always
managed TO. put up stiff argument
when the proper time came,' meaning z
thereby that we have been able to fight
our battles TO O. successful finish, even
though we were not prepared at the be-
ginning. True, in part, but at what a
fearful sacrifice!
The War OF the Revolution dragged
on for seven years. The constant COM
plant by General Washington through
out the duration Of that war was that
be had no adequate force, that the
country was unable, by reason Of It's
lack OF military preparation, TO do the
work that its armies ought to do.
He was always short Of men, and woe.
fully scaut Of military supplies.
Therefore the war dragged and was
enormously more costly in lives and IN
money than il would have been If prop
er provision could have beep made for
adequate armies ht the beginning.
In the war OF 1912, the country
mado n shameful spectacle OF itself
through its inoficiency, its inability to
no military force adequate to the occa-
sion, the States responded feobly and
uncertainty to calls for troops, and tho
armipg and supplying of such forces
as were put in the field were so skimped
that the commanders were vehement In
protest against being so badly equipped
and supplied. That war which ought to
have been a splendid triumph for the
United States resulted in the failure
of every effort to gain any real ad
vantage. save only on the sea.
The war with Mexico came nearer
vindicatIng the idea that the United
States, even when unprepared for war,
is able TO wage war, than any other
contest we have ever had, The troops
under General Taylor did good work in
northern Mexico, and they held that
hne, while General Scott, with the
small regular army, advanced TO the
capital and compelled tho submission
Of the Mexican Government. But
war practically fought with less tb~n
10000 effective men in the field can
hardly be called war in the modern
sense
The War OF the Rebellion was the
most disastrous that any nation ever
fought to a success while beginning
with no preparation, Volunteers were
enrolled by the hundred thousand, and
melted away in the stress of camp life,
and the toilsome marching, TO mere
fragments of commands. Regiments
starting with thousand men were
lucky If at the end OF the campaign
they were able to muster oue-third of
the number-this, Of course, in the
early period Of the war: for later the
soldiers who had been tried out made
a glorious showing for themselves. and
for their country. But in the first years
OF the war, men were sacrificed by the
tens Of thousands to inefficient of ,r-
ing, to disease, TO weakness. and to
uuttnoss for the field. In a total death
roll of the war Of about $4,000 during
its progress, 1S5, ,2S7, or more than half,
died of disease, this saying nothing OF
the 10000 who died in rebel prisons
In the war with Spain. it was the
same old story. Volunteers were en-
rolled enthusiastically, and went into
camp TO die bv the hundreds of dis.
ease. without the slightest opportunity
Of getting to the front or doing any
real service.
It is cruel thoughtlessness that
urges the idea that we should be unpre-
pared for war all the time because wo
have been able heretofore TO give a good
account of ourselves, though at a |
frightful cost, without such pre-
paratiou. The fact is that there would !
have been no war with Spain if we
had had an adequate army and navy. |
That war came because Spain supposed |
herself to be superior both in army and |
navy TO the United States. The cost Of
the Spanish war, added to the Philip |
pine fighting and occupation. has been |
tremendous. II would have easily |
Kept up an army OF 100000 TO 10000 |