Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-03-18
UNCLE SAM PREPARED
FOR WAR WITH MEXICO
United States Army Now Composed of
Approximately $1,000 Officers and
Enlisted Men in Service.
GREAT ADVANCE MADE BY
ARMY IN EQUIPMENT USED.
Navy Could Soon Blockade Ports Of
Country, While Army Would be
Holding Towns of Interior.
UNITED pnrsA LEASED wrRu.l

Galveston, Texas, March 1s.-Just at
this time when so many fresh diff
culties are springing up in the Mexican
situation there are perhaps few citizens
of the nation who do not wonder how
well our army is prepared for actual
warfare-fOr it would be actual war
fare to try intervention in Mexico
The United States army is now com
posed of approximately $1,000 officers
and enlisted men, of which number
10000 are on duty outside of the United
States while the remaining 10000 are
at home stations, mostly on border duty
and at the large government posts.
One-third of the quickly available
standing army is now mobolized at
Galveston and Texas City while there
are scattered along the Texas border
many companies Of infantry AMI
cavalry. At Fort Sam Houston, the
second largest army post in the United
States there is brigade of the Texas
national guard, ready at a moment s
notice, numbers $4,000 men. The entire
second division is mobolized here and
has been under canvas for one year
In case of actual warfare aproxi-
mately 10000 men can be Immediately
thrown into action in the field, accord
ing to figures obtained here. The militia
furnishes better fighters than volun-
teers, but the militiamen cannot b.
counted regulars for it would require
perhaps three months to get them in
proper fighting trim. That section of
the regular army mustered at Galveston
now is in the finest kind Of fighting
condition. Living il the open, under
canvas, for one year the officers and
men have faced summer heat and winter
cold alike and are hardened to the
maximum point, while tedious and bril-.
liant manenuvers that are constantly
being held have kept all of the batta.
lions on their toes until they are up to
the latest war tactics. Every effort of
the generals and commanders here dur
ing these maneuvers has been directed
toward simplification, efficiency and
effectiveness and perhaps there is no.
where in the world today a better
trained and more alert army division
than that now here.
Better Guns than in 1893
Great advances have been made Ivy
army officials. For inrtance the rifle
now in use has a range of $3.50 yards
more than one and one-half miles, and
1t has the necessary wind ranges for
various winds. The militia, regular
infantrymen, and the navy have the
same style and model guns, whereas
during the Spanish American war the
navy had one kind, the army another
kind and the militiamen were supplied
with half dozen different model ard
caliber guns and one department could
not use the same ammunition as the
others, resulting in great amount Of
confusion which is now completely done
away with.
Our navy now has 80 modern battle
ships, IS first class cruisers, second
class cruisers, Ia third class cruisers, q
gunboats, 40 destroyers 80 torpedo
boats and 35 submarines The best
part of this force could be quickly
modified to effectively blockade al
Mexican ports. Soldiers Of the regular
army and the militia have been givei
thorough practice in handling and fir
ing their rifles, the amount Of riff,
practice now given each man beinl
double what il was few years ago
80 that the men are all familiar will
their arms and 80 per cent of them ar,
good shots at stationary and MOVING
targets, for all kinds Of surprise firm
has been lately introduced. Th
heaviest obtanable type Of automobile
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