Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-12-10
BROWNSVILLE DAILY HERALD THURSDAY. DECEMBER 10 1911

men Just mentioned. &c should H. author
lied Ia obtain 1000 more oiiccr-. The leg
%i-lation 20 accomplish these purposes
would be OF the very simplest character,
being merely authorizations 10 the depart
mcni ~ M these thing.
AN increase III the enlisted personnel NJ
The army by $4,000 men would accomplish
threcfold results. II would. n before men
toned. bring up to full strength the exist
ing units ~ the mobile army III continental
United States and thus supply \ more adc-
quate force. Second. il would afford train
lng for the officers IN the command Of such
unit a. they must command IN time Of
war and would prevent. a. tar ~ The rcgu-
'ar army l. concerned. the crowding ~ the
ranks with raw levie~ which Away dis
organize and render Inefficient the organ
%ization~ into which They come. Third. il
standpoint " economy. III thatno material
increase OF overhead charges would b.
necessary. and the addition uf these men
could ~ effected ~ \ per capita cost to
the government 81 about nne-third the per
capita cost under existing conditions.
by the time these $4,000 men could De
procured the mobile force, IN the United
States a. hercinbcforc pointed out. would
number 2l,602; ~ that after the addition
the mobile army W continental United
states would consist Of 1862 men.
with the army thus increased. We would
then ~ able 10 undertake the next nrcr--
-ity. which H. absolutely imperative, ana.
that. the preparation III Il reserve. The
present legislation with respect to 4 re-
-crve ha> proven utterly useless for the
purpose. II having produced IN twcnty-four
months only sixteen men. and there II little
n ~ hope that Z viii ever properly a.
rompli>h IL purpose. The reasons why il
Will not do 20 il j. not profitable To dis
cu~~.
II am firmly convinced that III We can
use the standing army a. 4 school through
which 10 pass men who come into il. with
The knowledge thar it they are proficient
they can ~ discharged IN any time after a
wear ar eighteen months. wc will begin Al
once 10 build NJ the necessary reserve. and
will, Tor the first time in the military his
tory Of tins country. have something APP
proNimating 4 balanced organization.
Il I'm therefore firmly convinced that
we should have immediate legislation deal
me with the matter of enlistment and re-
serve. \ practically similar provision
should exist ~ every state which maintains
AZ organized militia. n j. Just a- essential
that the organized militia should have \
proper reserve to Till up II, ranks a, il i,
that the regular army should.
Il am convinced with equal iirmnc-. that
we should adopt some one or more III the
methods which have been suggested for
he training oI more civilians to become Of
hccr~ ~ ease Of necessity. The potcntialitv
.of the student military camps aud ~ the
schools and colleges NJ which military
training ! obtainable suggest. 4 fruitful
source Of accomplishing thu, purpose.
Il realize that one Of the matters which
will ~ debated IN connection with thi~
whole subject will ~ the natter III *
pcn>e. ! do not overlook this. but | think
that those who are charged with re~pon-
~Ihilitv on behalf Of the public should real
lzc the greatness Of that responsibility.
should realize The unan~wcrlblc indict-
ncnt that will lie against them il they
shrink from mourning expense for what i,
vital r. The nation. When one ha, reached
me conclusion. .- ! have. that minimum of
military preparedness i- essential. thu
question OF IT. co~i l. secondary and can
not Pc permitted Ia he the determining fac
tor No citizen will or can properly OBJ
rect IN the expenditure NJ money for vital
national purposes"