Omaha daily bee., 1914-03-22
CONSIDER THE COST OF WAR
What Armed Intervention Means to
the United States.
COST IN MEN AND MONEY
Half mnIion Soldiers and orc WI
lion Dollars Day for Two
Years--Army view OF
the Task.


ana alaFmist dispatches sent out Of Wash
inston and the City Of Mexico. create the
impression In many quarters that armed
Intervention by the United States in Mex
ico ls only a question OF time. In ofh'
ciai circles in Washington there Is no out
ward sign Of an intention TO settle the
controversy by the sword. But should
nm eppeaI to the sword become necessary
ss a last resort. Il s worth while 20 con-
slider the cost and what armed inter-
vention means
1T Is popularity believed" says a writer
In the New York Sunday sun. that army
officers are eager for intervention, on
TIE general principle that the army as
whole wants TO Justify it's existence ana
exhibit It's prowess, This Is not true.
Because they better than others, realize
Just what Intervention means, army Of
ficers are more against Intervention than
in favor Of Il. They know that interven-
ton in Mexico Of military character Is
Just about the biggest job which this
country could find for itself we're Il 20
go out looking for trouble.
How great is tho gap between the
popular idea OF Intervention and the mill.
tary mans view Of II ls shown by the
statement OF Senator Penrose the other
Gay and the words OF one Of the highest
military authorities In the United States
service The Pennsylvania senator said
that he wouldn't be afraid TO start for
Mexico City with 1900 men behind him.
and that he would feel confident OF get
ting there with his force practically In
tact.
THE military authority. on the other
hand, has never altered the estimate
made for President Taft year ago that
Il would require 10000 men. at a cost
Of a million dollars a day for two years
TO make military Intervention in Mexico
an effective reality.
Between Two Extremes.
Both views are extremes, however, and
the truth probably lies between them A
compromise between 10000 and 10000 as
the number OF men required does not
greatly reduce the stupendous aspect OF
the task 20 a country which has all told
an army OF only $1,000 men, perhaps i0O,-
900 militia, and absolutely no military re-
serve. With this mere handful OF men
now available. II will, in the last analysis,
depend upon the men OF the United States
whether Intervention In Mexico Ia to be
really effective or not. for they make
ND the only resource from which TO draw
what the regular army establishment and
It's supplement. the militia, lack In num-
bers. Nearly 100000 men. without accept
ing the extreme estimates, will have 10
come forward from their present POSI-
lions In civil life and volunteer TO take
Z a hand in the gigantic task.
"As has been frequently pointed out.
the beginnings OF Intervention In Mexico
( could be accomplished in a very short
time with. the present forces OF the regu-
lar army and the militia. An expedi.
= tionary force Is already waiting the word
at Texas City. The border cities could bt
seized literally in a day without serious
consequences or any great effort The
ports OF Mexico on both the Atlantic and
the Pacific coasts could be put under
blockade within 100 hours after the first
order was issued. A force could be landed
at Vera Crus within a few days, the time
between the embarkation and debarka.
tion being occupied by the navy in re.
ducing the Qualifications OF the city on
the ocean side and occupying vital points
After Conquest, WHAT
Neither s there much doubt about the
ability OF q comparatively small force
say 1900 or 5000 men, 10 make its wa!
from Vera Cruz TO Mexico City In brie
period and follow It's march with an Of
foctiye assault upon the Mexican capital
Even these few operations would Civ,
90 tho United States the control OF al
means OF ingress and egress on thre,
sides Of Mexico, thus depriving her o
imports OF arms. ammunition and othe
fecessaries OF war; and In addition con
troll OF the capital OF the country an,
the national seat OF government An,
there. In the opinion of military men fl
Washington, Just when that much ha'
been accomplished. would tho real tasl
OF intervening in Mexico begin.
The kind OF Intervention which tn
army has In mind Is an occupation OF In
entire country OF Mexico by the forces o
the United States. its policing by Amer
lean soldiers as thoroughly as the cit
OF New York is guarded by day and b
night. the elimination OF the bandits
pillaging and barbarity which now Tul
two-thirds OF the country and the sub
stitution OF law. order. and real govern
ment And that, as the army man see
Il. 10 a task even greater than the wor
General Porfirio Diaz was twenty year
In doing. that II, stamping out lRwiesi
ness and making Mexico a flt place fc
the investment OF capital the pursuit
agricultural and other industries and II
transaction OF commerce. And that
Why the army man stationed at Wash
lngton. with. some perspective OF the oil
uation, and some responsibility confron
iEg him beyond that OF a single regimen
or company, talks OF Intervention
Mexico in terms OF hundreds OF Thousand
OF men. years OF time and millions
dollars.
Ready for the job.
Army officers would like these aspec
OF the Mexican problem to be understoS
10y every one before Intervention is en-
barked upon. Il Is TO be borne in min
however that whether these things q
understood generally OF not, whether
not the army has the proper force, su
plies and equipment It thinks neeessar
Il is ready 20 start for Mexico tomorro
Il only hopes that II viii have the oppo
tuhity 20 DO the sob In the best way II
Is 70 be called upon 20 do Il at all.
The Mexican situation has been befo
the War department for three year
During that time the War college. 4
general staff and heads OF great divisio
and bureaus have had imposed up
them the task Of making all sorts
preparations for eventualitles Ia Mexie