Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-06

limited sphere, such new formations will grad
ually become fitted for the duties Of the war,
and VIII acquire degree of offensive strength
which certainly cannot be reckoned upon at
the outset Of the war; and the less adequately
such bodies OF troops are supplied with col
umns, trains and ravalry, the less their value
will be.
Nevertheless, 1t appears to be assumed by us
that In event Of war such troops will be partly
available in the first line, and that decisive
operations may be entrusted to them. Reserves
and regulars are treated equivalent pieces
on the board, and no one seems to suppose
that some are less effective than others. A
great danger lies in this mechanicai concep.
ton.
For operations in the field we must employ
wherever possible, regulars only, and rather
limit our numbers than assign to inferior
troops tasks for which they are inadequate
We must have the courage to attack IL neces.
sary, with troops numerically inferior but tacti.
cally superior and more efficient; we must at.
tack In the consciousness that tactical striking
power and efficiency outweigh the advantages
OF greater numbers and that with the I'm.
mense modern armies a victory in the decisive
direction has more bearing on the ultimate
Issue than before.
The decision depends on the regular troops
not on the masses which are placed at their
side on mobilization. The commander who
acts on this principle, and SO far restricts him
SELF In the employment Of masses that he pre-
serves the complete mobility of the armies, will
win strong advantage over the one whose
therefore Is handicapped generally and has
PAID for the size of his army by want of eff
cheney The mass Of reserves must, therefore,
De employed as subsidiary to the regular troops,
Whom they must relieve as much as possible
from all minor duties. Thus used superiority
IN the numbers Of national reserves will secure
an undoubted superiority In the actual war
IL follows directly from this argument that
we must do our best to render the regular armv
strong and efficient, and that it would be y
mistake TO weaken them unnecessarily by OK.
cessive drafts upon their personnel with the
object OF making the reserves tactlcallv eouaI
TO them. This aim may sometimes be realized.
but the general level of efficiency throughout
the troops would be lowered.
Our one object must therefore be =,
strengthen our regular army An increase NJ
the peace footing OF the standing army is worth
lar more than far greater number of badly
trained special reservists. 1t is supremacy inn
portant to increase the strength of the officers
on the establishment. The stronger each unit
is In peace. the more efficient will il become
LOT war, hence the vital Importance OF aiming
at quality, not quantity. Concentration. not
dilution, Will be our safeguard II we wish n
encourage the enforcement OF universal service
by strengthening the army, we must organize
new peace formations, since the number OF nro
lesslonal onicers and suboffcets will he thus
increased. This step is the more necessary he.
cause the present available cadres are insuffi
cient to receive the mass of ablebodied recruits