Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-01-28
WARMING BY WOOD
CHEF OF STAFF TELLS CON
cREssmEN ABOUT SHORTAGE
or AMMUNITION.
ENOUGH FOR BUT ONE BATTLE
Supply for Field Artillery Especially
Is short-Lawmakers Spend Money
for Guns but Not for Powder
and Bullets.
BIZ eEoReE cLINToN.

/ soon will retire from his position as
chief of staff of the United States
army. The other day the general in
what may be called perhaps a fare
Well message of warning told the
house committee on military affairs
that it ought 10 appropriate 100000
for field guns and ammunition for the
regular army Here in brief is the
.enor of General Woods warning note:
IT We sent out troops into war as
they are now, without guns or am
munition, il would be absolute slaugh-
| ter. If called into the field suddenly
We should have to go with a very
small allowance OF ammunition even
for the guns in the hands OF the
guns nor ammunition enough for our
field artillery forces"
| There is something to this testi-
mony Of General Wood to make it ex-
| tremely interesting not only from the
military point of view, but from what
may be called legislative point of
view. 1t points up. for the facts are
are the general has given them. the
popularity on occasion of congress
sional thought and of congressional
action. There are OF course many
men in the United States. and they
are constantly making their influence
felt, who. hoping for peace between
disarmament is the way to bring about
concord among the peoples.
Guns But No Ammunition.
AS long as congress continues to
vote money for the support of the
army and navy it naturally would
seem that the money should be well
applied and well expended Here is
where one of the peculiarities of con-
gressional thought and action shows
itself. Every year the lawmakers ap-
propriate good deal more than $780,
100000 each for the army and the
navy.
Take the army case OF which Cen
eral Wood speaks. Men here. and
they are not all military men either
are asking what possible use it is for
congress to vote large sums of money
for field guns. which the uninitiated
should know are the light artillery
pieces of the service. and also appro-
pirate money for the pay of six regi-
ments Of field artillery. and yet with
hold money for the purchase of the
ammunition which would make the
batteries serviceable.
In other words. the curious thing
from a legislative as well as from a
military point of view. is why the law
makers should ask the tax payers to
expend large sums of money for guns
for which there is no possible use,
1or it does not take brain of the size
of that OF Daniel webster to make
man appreciate that a gun without
powder and projectiles to I'LL IT. is a
pretty useless sort of Il weapon.
Enough for Only One Battle.
1t is known to be fact. for the
records show it, that If We were to
have war today with any country
worthy the name of power, our field
artillery could not engage In more
than one battle with its present sup
ply of powder and shot. II takes a
long while to manufacture field artil-
lery ammunition and to get it to the
front.
General Wood has said also that
there is very small allowance OF
ammunition "even for the guns in the
hands of the troop" These guns. of
he ri Df trF
and the carbines of the cavalry, and
also the small arms of the coast ar
tillery. for the heavy gun men must
serve on occasion as infantrymen
Il is understood that the condition so
far as our infantry forces are con-
cerned, is absolutely nothing like so
bad as that with which the field artil-
lery is confronted. The foot soldier
with his modern Springfield probably
would have cartridges enough to give
a good account of himself In many
battle, but the cannoneer OF the
field forces after a few rounds would
be obliged to stand at his caisson or
at the mouth Of the piece as a mark
for the enemy's -ifiemen without any
chance to return srot for shot
About Canal zorS Rule.
1t is believed that President VIII
son is about to give expression to
his views as to the best means TO
govern the Panama canal zone after
the isthmian canal commission passes
out of existence. Secretary OF War
Garrison already has communicated
to The president his ideas as to what
ought to constitute a proper system
Of government for the canal strip. 1t
Grip Of the Demon.