Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-09
ROW N MEXICO
SAVES CAVALRY
SITUATION HALrs CONGRESS IN
MOVE TO REDUCE ARMY
BRANCH BY THIRD.
CRITICAL CONDITIONS
PREVAIL ALONG BORDER
In Event Invasion 10 Necessary, Cav.
airy Would 30 Most Ussful-May Be
Necessary to Dispatch More Troops
to Philippines to Replace Those Sent
to China.
Especial Correspondence.]


branch of the army. which for weeks
has been trembling in its books, and
shaking in fear over the assaults Of
force that it can not cope with, Is
gradually recovering it's peace Of mind
and equipoise.
For weeks, the cavalry has been
fearful that the congress Of the Unit
ed States was actually going to re-
duce it by a third, that is, to cut 1t
down from fifteen regiments to ten.
The house took this action when 1t
passed the army bill. The cavalry has
been apprehensive lest the bill would
be permitted to go thru in that fash
ion.
But now more cheering news comes
from the front. 1t is to the effect. not
merely that the senate will take
stand against reduction of the num-
her of regiments to ten but that the
house will acquiesce in the position
taken by the senate and allow the
cavalry to ce-ai:, at its present
strength.
Cavalry May Be Needed.
Probably the one that is most potent.
however. is that these are not good
times for reducing the regular army.
1t so falls out that things are threat
ening just now in at least two import
ant directions. The army in the Phil
lippines is being reduced by sending
troops to China. Nobody can guess
how many troops this country will
have to send into China before the
troubles there are composed. So far.
the troops ordered to China from the
Philippines are infantry but if any
considerable body is sent it will be in
part made up OF cavalry.
Moreover. If there is q large drain
on the Philippines for troops in China,
more troops may have to go from this
country to re-enforce the army in the
Philippines.
The Mexican situation is even more
troublesome than the one in China. In
China. the operations Of American
troops will be not aggressive but pro-
tective and in cooperation with the
troops Of other powers. Japan is al
ready sending troops there. But this
is not the case with respect to Mex
leo. There. this country has to play
a lone hand. 1t is the intention to send
more troops to the border than are
there now in any event. even If the
American army does not have to set
foot on the other side of the Rio
Grande.
Main Reliance If
II 1t becomes needful to send an
army over the border. it is a mere mat
ter Of conjecture as towhat will be
the outcome and how many troops will
be required. The fact that is entirely
clear as q military proposition is that
if there arises necessity for military
operations by our troops on the other
side of the Rio Grande the cavalry
will be the main reliance OF the army.
The operations will probably not be
marked by battles Of large proportions.
Large bodies OF troops will not be In
volved in any one engagement. But
there will be many small battles ana
skirmishes extending over an enormous
range Of country. 1t will not be in
fantry or artillery that will be most
useful in these operations. 1t will be
the cavalry Probably good use will be
found for the mountain batteries. Prob
ably, too, that eminent -coadjutor OF
the army on many a hard campaign.
the army mule, more especially the
pack mule, will be found extremely
helpful. One can not find many places
where a regulation army wagon plus
a good team of army mules can not
go. But the pack mule, the cavalry,
and the mountain battery. can find
their way thru almost any sort OF a
region.
Under the circumstances. the cavalry
has good case The demand for its
reduction up at the capitol is not as
insistent as 1t was earlier in the ses-
sion.
In democratic quarters one can hear
q good deal to the effect that the admin
istration is anxious for war with Mexi-
CO in order to help the political sit
uation. Without considering what basis
there may be for this charge. however
it is certain that the Mexican situation
is rapidly getting worse without regard
to what the administration here may OF
may not desire.