The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-08-10
Military Experts Of Opinion 1t
Would Take 100000 Men
to Subdue Nation, at Prob
able Cost Of $500, 900, 900.

There was a time when the General
taft of the United States Army did think
an invasion of Mexico an easy matter.
1t was thought then that certain phe-
nomenal military success, which landed
the American troops in Mexico City be-
fore the world had thought this possible,
could be repeated at pleasure. Today a
different view prevails in the War De-
partment: to it is due the fine control Of
the governmental temper.
There are times when comparisons are
anything but odious, and this is one of
them. An invasion of Mexico by the
United States would repeat the expert
ence Great Britain had with the Beers in
1S99-1902 Why this should be SO can be
summed up briefly and with effect, says
George Albert Schiemer in the New York
Evening Post. Firstly, the terrane in
which the United States Army would
operate is even more difficult than that
which tried the wits of the best British
officers; secondly. the Mexicans are as
much attached to their soil as were the
Beers: thirdly, the United States military
establishment is in no position at present
to cope easily with the resistance a united
Mexico would offer. A fourth considera-
ton does not better the picture, and this
is that the natural resources Of Mexico
are decidedly greater than those of the
erstwhile Boer republics. Lastly. the
South African Dutch were able to put
only S5, 900 men in the field, while Mexico
would have no difficulty placing 100000
men under arms. Conceding that the
Mexicans could not approach the fighting
qualities of the Beers, we may, neverthe-
less, grant that this force would be the
equal of at least 1000 burghers.
The statement that Great Britain had
in the field during the war with the Beers
no less than $4,000 men. and employed at
one time as many as $4,000 in concerted
efforts to overcome the burghers, should
prove enlightening here, as should also
the fact that the cost Of the campaign
to Great Britain was over H,ooo.00oooo.
In Boer War and Knows Mexico.
The writer begs forbearance with the
remark that he participated in the late
Boer war, is fairly familiar with the
topography along the line Of operation
that would be followed in Mexico. knows
the principal features of the plan Of ac-
ton decided upon some time ago by the
United States General STAFF, and has had
opportunity to study at least one essential
of military operations on the part of
Mexico.
Three years ago everybody would have
laughed at the statement that it would
take 10000 men to invade Mexico effect
lively. 1t was the habit then to assume
that company Of Texas rangers could
cross the Rio Grande and subdue the en-
tire republic just as fast as their mounts
could cover it. The Mexican army was
then known as a most unsoldierly ag-
gregate of hombres, who had discarded
the rags of the penitentiary for the cheap
cotton trousers. gaudy tunics. and head
pieces of the army. In a way this i'm
preston is yet held, though the continu-
GUS in3urrections and revolutions of the
last two years have modified II in at
least one important respect 1t is ad-
mitted today that the Mexican can fight
when he has a mind to do this. But
something is likely to be overlooked here
The fncessant turmoil has made soldiers
out of Mexicans who formerly were not
soldiers. In the States of Neuvo Leon
Coahuila, Tanoulipas. Chihuahua, and
elsewhere there hae come into an exist.