Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-05-03
General War Not Possible
Continued from Page One.)

1t is true ,hat it is not large, but it
would have turned the scales in any
and every battle fought in modern
times. 1t is as large as the Russian
and larger nan the Japanese army
which fought at Lao Yang, and larg-
cr also than the bulgarian or Turkish
armies which fought in any battle of
the Balkan war. For home defence
the British Isles depend upon the
Territorial Force. Every effort to
raise this force to the fun strength of
100. COO or 100000 men has been tu-
tile, and in the opinion Of military eX-
rclts it will be impossible without
the adoption Of ~compulsiOn in some
form. At the same time no II doubts
that the Territorial Force is in a
condition to take the field at once up
on the despatch Of the ExpeditiOnary
Force and to guarantee the safety Of
the country in case Of invasion by Il
continental army.
Germany and France are rivaling
n another in their ~lrvcrish efforts
to increase their armed strength.
Roughly speaking, Germany is aiming
lat Il five million mel standard for her
army, but ii is well known that a de-
prndenrncc upon numbers alOne Is
not a failing of German military add
lninistratOrs, who are consistent in
seeking, above all, to improve the
quality and sOlidity of the first line.
The increase in the German navy of
late has been such as to seriously
rneaten Great Britain'S 80 per cent
superiority" standard. The salient
feature in German naval progress is
not so much the increase in size and
power Of every class Of warship, al,
though this has been most marked,
but the further preparatio for the
immediate use of the whole of the
effective fleet. Also to be rcckOned
is the German air fleet, admittedly
the finest in the world.
France, impelled rather by the ex.
traOrdinary acceleration of shipbuild
ing in Italy and Austria-Hungary, is
making strenuous efforts to recover
the ground lost in recent years. At
the same time every possible increase
in the French army which can be eff.
fected by financial and administrative
methods is being made without de
lay.
Italy's navy is rapidly assuming re.
spectacle proportions. But the glory
of ltaly's armed forces is, her cavalry,
The peace footing is 275, 900; this can
be raised in a week to upwards of
100000 men. Austria.Hungary has
recently passed laws which will much
increase the military strength of the
dual monarchy. Roughly speaking,
the old organization produced about
l,?l4,0O0 trained men. The new laws
will eventually raise this figure to
/ 800 900.
The Russian army is the largest Of
all Europe and steps have been taken
recently to furth her increase its size
and efficiency. While there are on.
tinued signs of renewed activity in
Russian naval construction, the &C
celebration in shipbuilding which is SO
noteworthy in Italy and Austria-Hun-
gary has not been %equaled. Accord
lag to present plans the armies Of the
central European powers will be in
creased by 100000 trained men be-
fore the end of the year. These addi-
tons are not considered excessive
from the military point Of view, be-
cause, apart from all other consider
atoms, the Russian contingent of re-
cruits approximately equals that OF
Germany and Austria combined.