Evening star., 1915-06-08

triumphs dear to the hearts of soldiers
Does the War Department fully ap-
preciate the influence of such memo
ries on the morale of troops? Appar-
emily not, and yet 1t may be asked why,
if no account Is to be taken OF such
influence in respect to the militia. Is 1t
that the colors of the regiments OF tne
army and the flags Of the landing
thereon ] " the @ names ] Of the battles in
which these regular troops nave par
ticipated?
Morale is so Intangible a force, ana
is SO often forgotten or mixed up with
the idea of drill and discipline. that 1t
does not weigh with those who are
seeking to carry out what they deem
to be needed reform. But 1t Is a dis
tinct and impelling force. and often
overrides. at the moment of crisis and
combat, theories and systems of Or
ganiZation.
1 do not wish to be understood as max
ing light of drill and discipline. On the
contrary. my idea Of true reform in our
militia is to insist on stricter discipline
and more attention to drill than now pre-
walls.
Should any fault have been found, as is
not at all unlikely. with the drill and dis
cipline of these two regiments of infantry
of the District militia let the adjutant
general of the District be authorized to
enforce both, even to reporting for dis
charge from their regiments negligent and
incompetent officers, as was done during
the war of the rebellion in almost every
regiment in the volunteer army gathered
for the defense of the Union.
Time Needed to Make Soldiers.
The lesson-at least one OF the chief
military lessons of that great warts that
1t takes about a year to organize, drill
and discipline a regiment Of infantry and
suit in artillery and cavalry.
Suppose even, and I write without any
information upon the subject, that the
two District regiments Of infantry are not
up to the mark in drill and discipline
They certainly, however, are in better
shape than new organizations could be
expected to be within any reasonable
period of time
Instead of mastering out Of the service
these two regiments of District militia
with Independent war records, their war
records making for certain development
Of morale, or of consolidating these two
regiments as is proposed into one new
regiment, ! would suggest their continu-
ance in service under plan which would
promote and increase their efficiency. such
as the examination of officers for COM
potency and the discharge of the incom-
petent, and then the filling up Of both
regiments to full war strength by enlist
ment of recruits
Such a plan would not impose more or
more difficult work upon the militia bu-
reau of the war department than 1t will
have to incur In creating new organiza-
tions of cavalry and artillery, and the re-
suit aimed at, a measurably trusty body
of troops, will much more surely and
much more promptly be attained than by
any other plan of militia reorganization.
ha sal {yS lit
ton that the army needs more cavalry
and artillery.
What Regular Army Needs.
I make the general answer-fll up the
cavalry regiments of the army to their
full war strength and the army will then
have more and better cavalry than any
militia cavalry that may be created, and
as to artillery. increase the batteries Of
the regular army from four-gun to six
gun batteries and the army will have
more and better artillery than It can DOS
sibly expect to have from the carrying
out Of this plan Of a well balanced militia
army.
In advocating the retention Of these two
regiments of infantry in the service do
not wish to be understood as favoring de-
pendence upon the militia Of the country
as a part Of our first line of defense
l favor large increase In the forces
OF the regular army and the creation and
maintenance of a reserve Of thoroughly
drilled and disciplined troops-four or five
which, on the breaking out Of war, should
be called to the colors as a constituent
part of the army.
MAXWELL wooDHU1L.