New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-10
AMATEURISH DEFENCE PLANS
A Non Professional Army No
Help in Time of National Need.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: After the passage Of the Democratic
free trade taliif measure manufacturer
who protested that they could not compe''
with cheap European labor were advised By
President Wilson to become more efficient. to
whet their wits against the wits Of fcre.ga
manufacturers. The Secretary Of Conc zee
has frequently repeated this eoniohag
adyice. Efficiency comes from training "ea
to be expert in their several fields OF labor.
In view of all this. What are we TO think o.
the following paragraph. occurring IN the
Presidents address on preparedness at the
Manhattan Club:
What we all wish to accomplish Is ths'
the forces Of the nation should indeed ne
part Of the nation and not a separate pro-
fessional force. and the chief cost Of the
system would not be in the enlistment Or 10
the training OF the men, but in the providing
of ample equipment in case II should
necessary 10 call all forces into the ned.
An efficient army, capable OF Opposing
successfully an invading force OF Eufopf''
power. must not. tNNpiNtAir ~ wv
consist Of enlisted men or trained men, "'
OF comparatively raw citizens, win
know ledge OF military tactics beyond dr~he
for ga very brief period Of each year. 'oSs'
Mr.. Wilson'S own words. There must be "smp'
equipment however. Could any sugge'"''
be more supremely ridiculous? II 1t ean'
from just an ordinary citizen, instead Of w
President OF the United States, II wouid
laughed at. OF what value is ample equiv
ment" in the hands OF men who "o0'on'
know how to use who, II they e0''
even fire a rife. wouldn't be able TO ="
barn door at fifty yards? Is Mr.. Wilson '
profoundly ignorant of military matters
TO believe that men. who would not n'',
training enough to comprehend the msna''
of arms could stand for a moment oeiOfs' y"
instance. German veterans?
Mr.. Wilson recognizes that an eme''"'
navy IS necessary What would be 'n0as"'
of a suggestion that the increase 10 W
personnel Of the navy in time Of ""
made up of men VINO had served on "'
ships a very brief period Of each yes,'
Such ili-trained men could not handle w
big guns. and would be OF no use
emergency. Ia this idea of pracuea'iy
trained men for the navy any more sD'
than the Presidents suggestions WIZ" "
spect TO citizen army?
IL is Encouraging 10 feel that We
nation. are compelled to lean upon aoo
pect protection from such slender rsss 49,.
now occupies the White House win MS n,
proud to fight" notions. We must no''
Wilson SAYS, have professional l0,'''
by which he means a regular army ISL
20 such efficiency, for instance, as pre-,
in Germany And why not. pray DV,s.
he know that any other kind OF so'o,..
would be useless in time % INVASION u,
he forgotten the sorry plight the so's'"
Continental Army was IN during me NJ !,
tionary War until Baron Steuben hesea
into some sort Of shape the winter "
AZ Valley Forge? II Washington eou''
pear in our midst to-day. would ne em
we must have no trained soldiers
he advised the nation. in his last wo'us'
time of peace to prepare for war va"
thinking OF "citizenry" or minute men,
real soldiers. - 70
II is difficult for an intelligent eitiis.
consider the programme Of the admins a
ton on preparedness with any des'e, !.
patience Mr.. Wilson's plsn IS me'''
makeshift, and a poor one at that. =,
We ought 70 have a regular h"' a.
not less than 100000 men. so that In 'sss
necessity We could mobilize within q ~,
At least 10000 trained soldiers. our U.s..
should be superior TO that Of any oth.' ~.
,ept Great Britain. which We could nor ~.
10 rival. and there would be no reason -.
We should, as the United States "
danger from an attack BY England.
Let US pray that the Creator OF al 49,
will take care OF US until the Repuo"'.s.,
,nce more gain control Of the country
We are not likely to get help from any 's
source. ~
New York. Nov a 1875.