Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-15

tents. axes and cooking outfits; han
die accounts and pay the men and ON
GERS: 1t looks after fleet OF trans
ports. and generally furnishes all but
ordnance supplied to the army.
The volume of work done by this
division may be inferred from the fact
that II expends nearly 80 per cent or
the entire annual appropriation for the
army.
In the last few years this division
has been reorganized and put upon the
modelled somewhat upon the French
system, but only after careful study
of the methods of the corresponding
departments OF the English and the
German armies.
1t would take volume to set forth
all the work which would descend upon
this department in the equipment of an
army Of 100000 men: but il has been
sudden expansion. And IL is believed
that it's organization will stand the
strain. 1t could not provide provisions.
uniforms, tentage. blankets. shoes.
horses trains and auto trucks for such
an army from it's storehouses, but at
least some of these articles can be pur-
chased quite promptly in the open
market.
1t is a waste OF energy for ATTY one
to discuss the Importance of having
educated and efficient men as regi-
fitness of the officers of our regular
army. The militia has officers who. -
not highly trained and experienced. are
at least part of the militia oreaniZa
ton: and that provides comm sSioned
offcers for about $4,000 of the half
million army.
whence are the officers for the re-
mainder to come? IL really is not safe
TO accept seriously the proposition o.
the western agriculturist that he and
a million of his neighbors would get
out their old shotguns and drive any
army from the country. The American
farmers of rs could no do that at
Bunker Hill. or anywhere else. 1t was
the disciplined regulars of the CONT
mental army acting with the disciplined
regulars of France who ended the
war. We must look to some other
source than farmers. suburbanites or
urbanites. as such. for officers.
The military camps esta blished in
1913, to train high school and college
graduates In the elements OF military
art so that they would be fitted to NIL
GERS in an emergency army, have been
fairly successful. and they promise
greater things in the future. But thus
far the number OF those who nave nave
the 27.5O0 officers required for the
forces to be added to the regulars and
militia to make up the half million
army. and there are no more trained
men to draw upon.
The only way to obtain officers would
be as this country has done in the past
by selection of the men who could
get the most votes or who had the
most influence. and while men thus
selected usually have the qualities for
leadership. they have but little knowl-
edge of the military art.
Since the object of the army OF this
size would be to attack an invading
force upon its landing. there would De
no time for drill and organization, and
which to attack a body of French;
English or Germans-30.0OO trained
soldiers fully equipped; $4,000 militia
without horses for their cavalry or
their artillery. without a proper sup
ply of cavalry. engineers. Hospitai;
Sanitary or Signal corps. and $4,000
men armed with rifles but almost
without ammunition, with no machine
guns no artillery. uniforms or olanke.s;
under command of officers with no real
training. with nothing. in fact, but APP
petites and American valor.
The development of American manu-
facturers of war munitions, due to the
demand from abroad. is. of course,
viewed with great satisfaction; hrst.
because it shows that at need we can
do things. and. secondly. because they
might be of some little assistance in
furnishing munitions required in a ma
tional emergency. I.
But there is one serious drawback to
these causes for congratulations: near
" all of these plants are SO close to the
Atlantic coast that in event OF sue
cessful landing OF invaders the fac
tories would in a few weeks be in pos
session of the other side. -
What the army lacks more now than
it does men. officers. guns. machine
guns, ammunition, horses. aeropianes.
is that which il never has had dem
mite military policy.
The idea of conservative military
service to the state is not popular; and
in this country the cost of labor and
food are relatively SO high that the ex-
pense of maintaining a standing army
is almost prohibitive.
tional defense can be adopted only by
Congress, which must determine
whether we have a standing army,
conscriptive service, federalized
militia, regular army reserve or moth
ing at all 1t must determine whether
we are to assemble an ample supply OF
material which cannot be secured in
short period of time, or whether. with
all our national wealth and resources,
we are to remain undefended.
1t is a matter of public record, writ
ten in our laws and our history. that
we have no military policy. and witho ut
it American valor and ingenuity. how
ever real and valuable, are no longer.
under present conditions. an adequate
protection against invasion.