The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1914-05-15
ARMY IS EFFICIENT
Officers Of General Staff Compare
Chaos Of 1899 to Now.


Washington, d. C.-"The difference
between preparations for war In 1898
and now" said IN oihcer OF the gen
eral star Of the army. lis just the
difference between . general stan ana
no general STAFF, . state Of relatively
high efficiency and chaos. There are
. lot Of people going around this town
today who think that the army and
navy are asleep at the switch. 90 to
speak. They will awaken some day
to ind some foreign military observ-
ers complinenting this government
on its ability to furnish nghting men.
fully equipped on short notice"
This observation was based on the
assertion Of q veteran correspond.
est In Warrington. who compliance
that he could ind no basis Of com
parison between the Spanish war days
In Washington and the present time.
You will recall" said the army ON
Ger. that the Spanish war literally
fell on the war department like light
ming out OF clear sky. comparatively
speaking. While there had been In
timations from time to time that the
United States would be compelled TO
intervene In Cuba. sooner or later.
and while chiefs Of division and OF
bureaus In both the war and navy de.
partments had done all they could to
bring order out OF chaos. the fact was
that there we're no central men or
organisations about which the whole
departments revolved except tho CIV.
ilian secretaries.
No one csntral body. like the pres
mt general star Of the army ana
navy. no one Individual like the chief.
of-staR or the admiral Of the navy.
Sas oficially responsible for the en-.
cheney Of either the army or the navy.
There was no one charged With the
work q taking stops In advance 10
meet . crisis.
In the present crisis work on the
Mexican situation began In the var
and navy departments when the Ma.
dero revolution broke out From that
time down 10 the present the star at
the war college Of the army and navy
has bssn In the closest possible touch
with the situation In MEXICO. The
names OF the commanders and their
nghting characteristics have bssa
learned and studied. the siss Of thsir
respective forces has been known.
particularly those Of the independent
commands. whose following 10 largely
personal In the territories In which
they opsrsts.
There 10 today sot road or river
IN Mexico that n not sketchsd % Tie
war MAPS Of tbs var department. even
down 70 available drinking water.
Last January the secret service Of the
navy department put marine ofncsrs
into Mexico In civilian clothes. and
what they Do not know about the rail-.
roads Of MEXICO and the by.paahs.
should those railroads BE- dsssroysl.
10 not worth knowisg.
/ Scott marched 20 MEXICO CITY
without Q railroad. and tho army Stll
II u has 10 do %. while the rail-.
road would help matters much asd
would materially expedite The Tor.
ward nevsmeut. the army 10 on ne
msttls 10 the present crisis and viii
make good 10 the satisfaction Of ~
people rho support u.
The main test. 20 far % the army
goes. Mes In the sspidity Of mobilise,
tion Of the stats militia and the vcius.
teers. This nation doss not maintain
staading army large enough 70 asse
m emergency svsa sseh o tAis Gee
invastoa Of ssy fossiss eouatsy b -
losgss ~ essy matter. The state ~
iitia vim always An1 . place hereafter
n tie Asst army that soss 70 ~
sFoot
~evssy s9oss ~ bsea made y -
bus that service viii tAs high s6eoae'