New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-09-08
Senator Chamberlain Wants
Such Changes Made as Will
Meet Existing Conditions.
NEED OF MORE EFFICIENCY
Head of Military Affairs Com
mittee Says National Guard
Should Be Strengthened
and Improved.
fFrom The Tribune Bureau

Washington. Sept. Backing up the
campaign OF the Secretary of War to
place the army in a state of prepared
ness" Senator George E. Chamberlain,
chairman of the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs, issued a statement to-
day to the effect that he was earnestly
i'm favor OF placing the army of the
United States on a better war footing"
"As long as we maintain the Monroe
Doctrine, retain the Philippines. control
the Panama Canal and dominate the Pa
cific, which is our manifest destiny. we
must have an army adequate TO care for
these conditions and meet emergencies"
said the Oregon Senator.
mo one advocates a large standing
army in this country, but we ought to
have as a military organization an army
OF efficient officers and drilled men, which
can be augmented by trained men from
reserve and supplemented by the national
guard of the states.
There has been great deal of general
discussion as to the necessity OF better
preparation for sudden war emergencies.
and there seems TO be quite unanimous
opinion that at the present time our
army is wholly inadequate owing to the
methods that have been employed. l am
heartily in favor OF such changes and
Improvements in the army as will meet
existing conditions. We ought not 10
leave ourselves in an attitude where we
fear the possibility OF invasion by Japan
on the Pacific Coast or by any other for
eign country on our Atlantic Coast, nor
in apprehension as to what might happen
10 our troops in case of intervention in
Mexico because the army is inadequate
for an emergency.
Awakened by Mexico.
The present session of Congress has
been occupied with matters which have
taken all the time, so that little attention
has been given 10 questions of national
defence until the acute situation in Mex
leo has brought home to us the unpre-
paredness Of this nation to face sud
den war.
IF there should not be a peaceful ter
minauon OF the Mexican trouble, tenn
porary war measures and makeshifts
would have TO be adopted, as has been
the case at the beginning OF every other
war In this country. all Of which have
been disastrous and expensive on account
Of their experimental character.
at the regular session of Congress the
subject Of increasing military efficiency
must be considered. The Secretary of
War has taken a pronounced position IN
the subject and we will await his definite
recommendations with a great deal of
interest. / am not prepared now to say
what should be done. The plans and de-
tails must be worked out by men OF ex-
perience and judgment, but 1t is plainly
apparent that improvements must he
made and the army put in condition 10
! meet the requirements OF the nation.
'In my opinion. the national guard
should be very much strengthened and
improved. great many more regular
army officers should be detailed TO give
the of4cers instruction and secure better
drill and discipline for the men. 1t would
also be we'll TO have more strict medi-
cal examination Of the enlisted men OF
the national guard, so that larger per-
eentage of trained men could go to the
front in time OF need.
Reserve Corps a Problem.
THE formation OF reserve corps is a
very difficult matter. and one with which
we have not had experience In this coun-
try. We cannot pattern on the lines OF
Continental countries, which have con-
scription method of filing the ranks OF
their armies IT. control all available
men for military service. Our army Is a
volunteer organization. The regular
army man is a voluntary soldier, who
can return TO other occupations at the
end Of his term OF enlistment. 1t Is pos
sible we might establish system by
which soldiers who have retired to pri-
vate life can be called to the colors when
emergencies arise. Those are matters
which must receive careful consideration
when the legislation 10 brought before
Congress.
AT all events, II seems certain that
the country is becoming aware OF the
unprepared condition of our army, and
will sustain Congress in making such
changes as seem necessary to place the
army on a footing TO meet emergencies
and secure the honor and integrity OF the
nation"