The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1915-01-15

arms anu OUner tactlcs necessary 10 give
service in the field, that some of the
money appropriated for the armory could
be we'll spent by detaching a competent
West Point official to the State National
Guards in each state in the Union, and
to give instructions with reasonable al
lowances for civil life and obligations,
along the lines of the regular United
States army. A great many young men,
it seems to us, would enlist in the State
Guards under such circumstances, and
would feel that the instructions they
were getting came from men who were
thoroughly competent to give it to them,
and would enjoy the routine of army ser.
vice at the same time in such way
Along the lines of the President
plea for stronger and more efficient
national guard throughout the country,
Major General John f. Organ, com
handing the National Guard of New
York, speaking before the New York
Press Club recently, said, "We have no
adequate coast defense. Any one of the
great nations could land an expeditions
airy force on the shores of nation like
ours, and in such a move the harbor de-
fenses do not figure; they could easily be
captured later from the rear. In the
old days little ships needed harbor
when making an invasion 1t was only
necessary to fortify the harbors, but now
the big ships carry their harbors with
them. Any one of the great powers
have ships in which they could
land large expeditionary force, fully
equipped. " Continuing, Major General
o. Ryan said, 81 have never yet met an
officer above the rank of captain who adj
vocated a large standing army, 1t has
been estimated that regular soldier
costs the government 81, 300 year, a
| figure which makes large regular army
prohibitive. The average militia soldier
costs from $50 to 500 per year."
In this country business affairs are up
permost in the minds of the people and
not military ones, and it would be very
difficult indeed for Mr.. Gardner nor any
body else to secure enlistments unless
CONSUMPTION was resorted to, and even
then the people we feel sure would revolt
at such practice, especially in times of
peac. 1t is really dangerous for some
men to get a little experience along GER
tain lines, because in so doing, they
think they know it all, and the military
experience enjoyed by Mr.. Gardner,
with all due respect, has just been suff-
cient to make him bring up subject in
the way he has at this time when the
matter could be best look ed into quietly
and in the regular way. Mr.. Wilson
has urged upon our people the principle
of neutrality, and has asked them to
forego as much as possible bringing up
subjects and discussing matters that
might in any way bring this country
into an unfortunate conflict with any
other. 1t seems that the public discus
sion of our coast defenses, our naval,
military and marine strength, and the
condition of our regular army is very
unfortunate and very unwise at this
time, and Mr.. Gardner needs great
many things brought to his attention no
doubt in order to make him realize on
what dangerous grounds he is treading,
tor the best interest OF the common
wealth.
This country has hardly any stand
ard by which it can be guided in the
number of its war vessels or subma-
rines, or air craft, benause the latter two
have not been employed here in war be-
fore, and there is no telling just how an
attack on this country would be made,
or by whom made. Therefore it fol-
lows that in order to be prepared, as
Mr.. Gardner figures it out almost every
man Of suitable age of this country would
have to be in the army or navy service,
with millions and billions of dollars taken
from the people to maintain this prodig-