New-York tribune., 1915-08-15
nepends on Students to
Train Force That Could
Repel Invaders.
ADDS YEAR IN ARMY
TO COLLEGE COURSE
uolnlessness of Volunteers Wor-
rios General - Plattsburg
PookieS Get New HonorS.
,,>,- sac Correspondent Of The Tribune. J

4. 1ev with neWSpapermen AT lhe ihI4-
;..~y instruction camp here Major
cs,eral Leonard 4. Wood. who Is su-
s.-;,tsrding the instruction of more
~ 1000 business and professional
-, in the routine duties Of an army
seer. picked out the flaws in our sys-
~, - raising a volunteer army and
.,--este6 method which he believes
v,l1 60 P considerable distance toward
r-snariDe this country against the sue
rsssfol invasion Of an armed enemy
"a. the present time" he said. I'VE
5-su our defenders from three sources
vb.cb I detail in this way:
oFirs+. officers who have been in the
.,,rlar service. volunteers, militia. ma
Vine eorrs or men who have had their
military training and are now IN civic
we The number is very limited.
4Second. men who have qualified
a,oYrb ,pecial examination and have
hsep listed BY the War Department as
.,el.ble for commissions. their num-
Der also is small
Third. men who have graduated
from the agricultural and mechanical
,olleres az practically all Of which
military instruction is given under an
army officer.
"These instructions were endowed
under what is known as the Morrill,
set. 1862, passed at tima when the
country felt acutely the need OF the
trained material for officers. We have
about $4,000 students at school Of this
type. instruction in these schools
varies IN quality and character. 1t
should all be standardized and efforts
should be made to secure the men at
The end of their junior and senior
wears for a period Of intensive tram
ing on the lines followed at the stu
dents military instruction camps.
These men are we'll educated and gen
erauy speaking Of good type.
Material for Officers.
"We have also a very large source
Of supply Of officers in the military
COLLEGES and schools Of he type Of the
Virginia Military Institute, Norwich
University. Pennsylvania State College
and many others. There are about
10000 students at these institutions
who are receiving military instruction
under officers Of the army. These men
should be taken if practicable at the
end Of thelr junior and senior years,
with the exception Of one or two Of
the better institutions where the camp
might be limited 10 one at the end Of
the senior year.
"Ihese two courses, the agricultural
and mechanical and the military col
leges, would give us d graduating class
Of probably not less than 5000 a year
OF these as many men as possible
should be given the intensive training
Another source is one Of which you
have heard d good deal lately
namely. the students military instruc-
ton camps The source from which
the attendance Of these camps are
drawn the great non-mllltary col
leges-cau furnish an almost unllm-
tied supply. When the men from these
Institutions have received their train
ing and have qualified they should be
regularly cOm STONED in a proper
, grade as reserve officers Of volunteers,
which would generally be the grade OF
lieutenant, with certain number o,
Of not less than 10000 such reserve
officers. This would be enough for
about l,225.O00 men. They would be
Immediately available for the training
Of volunteers, and should be brought
70 manpuyreS with the militia and
regular army from year to year ana
kept thoroughly up in details.
Plan for Army Service.
From these various sources not less
than 1900 should be selected each
year subject only to a physical eX-
animation as they are all men who
nave received d good educationl for
appointment as provisional second lieu
'enan,a for q period of one year IN the
various branches Of the regular eStao-
Hshment. These men so appointed
would furnish officers of volunteers for
the higher grades that is, principally
captains and some field officers. They
Woulo represent very highly trained,
"ell developed class of reserve officers.
All these sources are available and
could be made use Of at practically
mule cost. Their value 10 the coun-
NY would be almost beyond expression
N case Of war There is plenty OF ma
Vnal and all that is needed Is an
ofganized, well thought out method OF
using IT,
, With reference TO the statement we
should not depend upon system
Dased upon volunteers. There is moth
ing IN this remark which in any way
rejects upon or betlittles the volun-
yer lie has always been one of the
agares Of our military history. am
not discussing the individual or the
plnt which prompts him. but am
speaking Of the system we have fol-
owed Do depending upon volunteers
men war is upon us or imminent
these volunteers had been raised,
Wganzed, equipped and trained in
nIle OF peace they would be compar-
L ssDie 20 the old system of volunteer
are department, which at least had its
saghe. hose. ladders, officers, per
,.'nhel, etc. Unfortunately, the volun-
yer system as we apply it is com par
sue not 10 any organized, prearranged
Establishment, but to a fire department
Teanlzed after the fire has started. to
'e made up Of volunteers.
=, Then, again, there is another aspect
VI me case. As / look upon II. no one
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