Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-03

Washington, March 3.-.Serious I'M
preparedness of the United States Tor
effective military operations will be
disclosed if it becomes necessary to
intervene in Mexico, according to the
highest officers Of the army.
Even if the American army should
find it easy 10 vanquish the rudely or
ganized Mexican forces in actual battle,
the lack of proper training, equipment,
and organization by the United states
regulars and volunteers would result
in needless loss Of thousands of lives.
In case Of intervention, President
Wilson, as communicative chief OF the
army would be able to send to the
front as the first line Of fighters about
$1,000 officers and men Of the regular
army
For the second line he would be COM
PEELED to call out the national guard OF
the various states, which could furnish
about $4,000 men.
Militia 10 Poorly Equipped.
The regulars would be found Wen
drilled and generally well equipped for
service, except in field artillery ana
ammunition for field guns, the shortage
of which would prove a serious nanoi-
cap.
The militia organizations would pc
found poorly drilled and equipped WIN
few exceptions 1t would be necessary
to spend several months, at least, IN
getting the citizen soldiers into proper
condition for effective service.
The regular army is limited by Ia"
To 10O, 900 men. At present the army
a ct,,ally numbers $500 men, Of whom
IS. 900 are distributed in the states ana
the remainder in the Philippines ana
other possessions If the United States
should intervene in Mexico. the hrst
stem taken by the president would be
the recruiting Of the army up to the
full 100000 allowed by law. Congress
might. however, authorize an increase
in the size Of the army which woulo
hermit additional recruiting OF regu-
lars.
Distribution Of Regular Army.
The regular army at present is dis
tributed geographically as follows:
Enlisted
Officers. Men. Total.
r, +he limited States 3,66U o4,0Zo oo,oVo
y, AI.sLa So 1852 1,105
In the Philippines:
Regular army $3.50. $40 lO'zoI w..
nsi,Iinn;ne scouts $50 5A0s $3.50
=, chine Al 1,166 1907
In Porto Rico 50 900 400
In Hawaii ....7..... ~ o'7i' 0'0'
In the Mthmian canal ooc
zone ...........' -
Troops en- route and
Officers at other for 80
eign stations 50 $40
-------
Tota, 4,s45 so,74b $3.50
Although 1t would be possible TO
march $4,000 men into Mexico at once
the available fighting force "ouio
dwindle tremendously with the begin
ming of operations. Army OFFICERS say
they would not be surprised to nho
the available force reduced to 4o'oVo py
sickness and other contingencies be-
fore actual operations were com
menced. :,
Woods Views on Handicap.
A general view Of the state OF the
regular army is given by Gen. Leonard
Wood, the chief Of stan. as follows:
"our mobile army within the limits
of the continental United States, whlie
efficient, is so small that 1t only
amounts to about per cent OF the
force which it would be necessary 70
call TO the coiors in the early stages OF
a war with a first class power. me
militia could probably furnish ~ per
cent leaving, balance OF practically
Is per cent 10 be made up OF men
necessary to fill up the regular army
and militia to full statutory strength OF
volunteers >
"1n SO far as the regular army IS
concerned, there are within the con-
tinental limits of the United states
twenty one regiments Of infantry ana
twenve Of cavalry. If these troops
were organized into three infantry
divisions and two cavalry divisions,
thew would require eight battalions OF
light. six battalions of horse, one bat
talon OF mountain, and six battahons
of heavy field artillery. When the neld
artillery for the Panama garrison
leaves the United States there Will DC
left in this country but two battaiions
of light one regiment Of horse, one
regiment of heavy, and one battalion OF
mountain artillery. There is tnere1ore
existing a shortage Of six battalions OF
light, IHTeo Ol AOASc, edAAO sAAA - -
heavy field artillery, and reorganiza-
ton of the existing horse and heavy
regiments. 80 as to give to each regi-
ment three battalion organization OF
two batteries each.
Lack Of Field Artillery.
"F1eld service regulations prescribe
certain amount of field artillery for
each infantry division: yet the short
age Of field artillery is SO great that
not a single division in the regular
army has the prescribed amount, and
one division has no field artillery at all
Were we forced into hostilHies with
any first class power, we should have
to organize many volunteer batteries
It is idle to think that such units
hastily created on the outbreak Of war
will have much real efficiency unless
they have nucleus Of trained men
These trained men at present do not
oxisf and thew will not until our regu-