Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-04-23
UNCLE SIMS VAR
PLANS COMPLETE
ARMY AND NAVY IN STATE OF
PREPAREDNESS WHEN MEX.
tcAN CRISIS CAME.
sPEEpY MOBILIZATION OF
TROOPS ACCOMPLISHED
Years Of Time Required to Work Out
, Present System Which Department
Has Psrfsetsd-DiMsrsn Conditions
Compared to Outbreak Of Spanish.
American War.
Especial Correspondence.l


Washington. April 2s.-The value Of
the work of the general staff and the
work Of, secretaries Of war who have
been in sympathy with it in recent
years has been shown in the recent
Mexican crisis.
The army demonstrated readiness
to act in time Of threatened war and
to act quickly and without any fuss
about it which has surprised many
observer. AS matter of fact, 1t has
demonstrated that it is just as well
prepared for business, so far as the
regular army is concerned. as the
navy and probably more fully SO.
Speedy Mobilization.
i Much attention has been given by
leading army officers in recent years
to evolving a system that made speedy
mobilization possible in a simple and
orderly fashion. without that confusion
which was so sadly apparent in the
Spanish war. These efforts have been
accompanied by success. It is true.
since the Spanish war the army has
had lot Of experience. It has had the
Philippine campaigning, the campaign
ing in China, notifications to meet
conditions in Cuba, the unexpected
mobilization ordered by president Taft
on the Mexican border and much prac-
tice maneuvering.
When the Spanish war broke out. the
war department here pretty nearly
went crazy sending out orders to little
commands to mobilize. But Is lot
better now.
Better Conditions.
This is so far the case that on sun
day last, with trouble in Mexico i'm
pending. the war department was one
Of the quietest places in Washington.
Secretary Of War Garrison was at
home much Of tho day and took things
calmly. General Wood went riding,
though keeping in touch with his house
and office so as not to be far from
a telephone. Lieutenant Colonel Hod-
ges. secretary Of ths general star was
on duty about the department and In
call was a telegraph operator.
Plans for quic kAction were an made.
Had Secretary Garrison wanted to set
an army IN motion FOR Mexico he would
have advised General Wood and the
latter would have directed Lieutenant
COl. kaOQ8eS 60 e0n0 Out inc ISL OF
orders by telegram which had already
been agreed on. Hodges would have
grabbed q sheaf of kilograms. already
written, from his desk and would have
commanded the telegraph operator to
send them out.
Years to Evolve Systems.
These kilograms would have covered
every phase Of the preparation, the
troops concerned would have been
notified, the routes to be taken would
have been set forth, the transports to
be taken specified. Commands would
have been ordered what supplies to
take. The proper officers would have
been advised what supplies were to be
purchased. Horses and mules. tents.
hospital equipment. signal corps equip
ment, ammunition. ordinance Of all
kinds and. in short every detail of the
task Of getting an army ready for the
field Or en- route to the scene Of opera
tions would have been covered. And
1t would practically all have been done.
80 far as the war department is con-
cerned, by Hodges and telegraph
operator. It has taken months, yes,
years. to evolve such system, but it
counts for lot at times like these.