The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-19
Many Officers of A. n. G.
Believe War With Mex
leo Is Inevitable
THREE MONTHS FOR
u. S. TO PREP ARE
United States Army Smallest of Any
Other Civilized Nation in Com
paris0n With Population-Bill
Pending Before Congress

Montgomery, October 1s.-tspecial.)
With conditions as regards Mexico more
critical than at any time during the past
year. and with an infantry force scarcely
exceeding 10000 men ready to be put into
the field, there is little wonder that those
interested in military matters have begun
to speculate as to how soon the United
States could prepare for war with the tur-
bulent little republic south of us.
BY many officers of the Alabama Ma
tional Guard war with Mexico Is thought
to be Inevitable. This impression has OBJ
tanned for several months, though now
It is believed that the war clouds are
gathering thicker and faster, with every
indication that within 60 or 80 days troops
will be on the march to various mobiliza-
tion points preparatory to invading Mex
leo.
But however confident one might feel
regarding the outcome of struggle De-
tween the United States and Mexico, 1t Is
declared that the United States Is
scarcely better prepared for war with
Mexico or any other country at this time
than in 1860 at the outbreak of the civil
WAL, WIeu l06 aiuiy hihCetieSt ~ -
than 1900 men, 1t is declared by army
and national guard officers, as well as by
all military experts, that the army at
the present day, when one considers the
various problems that may be set before
1t, is relatively little larger than 1t was
in 1861
In the opinion of military experts the
United States would need an army ol
nearly 100000 men to invade Mexico, or
te-t,.a ,eyfb Oft q
forces ready to be mobilized Immediately.
The United states is known to have
smaller army as compared with popula-
ton than any other civilized nation in the
world. In time of peace the United
States has a mobile army of less than one
man to every 1900 of population.
Comparison With Other Nations
In comparison with other nations, the
strength of the United states army seems
rather insignificant. The table given be-
low will show more clearly than mere
words the needs of the United States, par
ticularly when war is more imminent than
at any time during the past IL years:
In the principal nations of the world
the strength of the mobile army as
compared with population Is as fol-
lows:
Great Britain and ireland, one man to
every 205 of populations; Germany, one
man to every 20 of population; France,
one man to every so of population;
Russia, one man to every 100 of popu-
1ation; Japan, one man to every 1So of
population.
Again, the United States with a
mobile army consisting of one man to
every 1900 of population. would have
an army one-seventh that of Great
Britain, one-eighth that of Russia, ono
eleventh that of Japan, one-twentieth
that of Germany, and one-twenty-
eighth that of France.
Three Months to Prepare for War
Military experts tell us that it would
take the United States three months to
prepare for war with Mexico. 1t is
pointed out that were war declared to-
day against the southern republic, the
most the United States could expect to
do would be to send her navy and
blockade the various Mexican ports.
The Is or II regiments available could
be used, ii is declared, to police the
frontier and to blockade several places
on land.
During the period in which the Mexi-
can sports and several pieces inland
were blockaded, the United States
would be busy training volunteer
troops, mobilizing various National
guard organizations, and preparing for
try is no better prepared for war with
Mexico-and probably not as well pre-
pared-than she was prepared for war
with Spain.
The unpreparedness of the United
States for war with Mexico is looked
upon as more or less appalling, when
the relative strength of the two coun-
tries is considered. With an army of
10000 regulars, it Is pointed out by
military authorities that the United
States might easily subdue Mexico in ii
short time yet with an army of hardly
10000 trained regulars and with 300.-
cost necessary to prosecute successfully
a war with Mexico would be more than
adequate TO have maintained a stand
ing army IL 100000 regulars for 10
years.
Bill Before Congress
There is pending before Congress bill
looking to the reorganization of the land
forces of the United States government,
and 1t is declared that the military COM
mittee of the Senate is favorable to the
provisions of the bill. Briefly, the plan
looks to increasing the land forces by
10 additional regiments of infantry. This
increase will enable the United States to
keep at home II regiments of infantry,
and to garrison our foreign possessions
with 13 regiments of infantry placing four
regiments in the Philippines; six regi-
ments in Hawaii and three regiments in
Panama.
ks,,~ x.Ix. !.