New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-01

tie military value, where their time is too greatly
occupied in the gardening, grass cutting and walk
repairing that are advocated as useful training
for war by various civilian idealists. In addition
to these statements General Organ said that eN-
perienced officers had vainly protested many
times against the short-sighted policy of main
tanning useless army posts, only to have their
best efforts thwarted by local communities for
business reasons.
General Organ, who has had an unusual train
ing for any militia officer, was most favorably
brought TO the attention Of the public at the time
when Governor Dix ousted him from his Office for
political He restored however, AZ
the end Of the Dix regime, and it is largely
due to his efforts and ability as soldier that inc
New York militia is said by army officers TO be
the best in the United States He has done
unusual thing for militia officer in writing
number of technical articles for service maya
zines He trained the pistol team of the Cd Bat
terry and trained them so well that they success
sively defeated United States army commands IN
pistol tournaments. He has taught horsemanship
to the men Of the 18th Regiment and has prepared
gunnery charts (Which aided greatly" according
TO a service journal, ain instructing the national
guard officers in indirect fire" His training at
the Army War College is unusual honor for
militia officer to have received
When asked what he thought Of Representative
Gardeners statement that members Of the Mill
tary and Naval committees had admitted TO him
in private that the United States was unready for
any conflict and that these admissions had been
backed up by the unofficial opinion of many army
officers, General Organ said that it would be
uniting for him 70 make any comment about
this in its connection with the European
its effect upon our country its military policy
"But there be no objection to stating that
our country Is not prepared for war, whether Of
fensively defensively," he added, "and that
there is really and conservatively grave ground
for concern regarding our lack Of preparedness.
This statement and others similar to il have
been made from time to time by senior officers OF
the army before Congressional committees and
in the service magazines which are public period
Gals sold the news-stands.
"The press can perform a patriotic duty in
informing the general public Of the actual
dtions they exist in the army to-day" Cen
eral Organ continued. 1T is due to the efforts
Of the press that have modern navy, and
there is better place than the press to discuss
present conditions Not only our navy
built up through publicity, but it was due TO the
efforts of the newspapers that the Endicott
board considered coast defences and that the
present system employed in this branch Of the
service inaugurated.
Army officers will be sure TO support any
responsible and conscientious effort to drive home
upon an unheeding public the actual military
situation as it exists in this country to-day. No
greater mistake can be made than to charge the
officers Of the army with the desire to impose on
their country the cost and hardship involved in
the maintenance OF a large standing army.
"Of all the peace advocates the officers Of the
army and the national guard are the most