The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-08
mitchell RETURNS,
WARNS ON DEFENCE
Bays Plattsburg Camp Should
Be Followed by Many Others
Of Its Kind.
HIS HEALTH IMPROVED

Mayor Mitchell reappeared at city
Hall yesterday With health improved by
four weeks Of soldier life at p~lattsburg.
He lost no time In saying that the spirit
of the encampment was IAN inspiration
and something to be remembered
through "a lifetime" Its lesson In pre-
paredness he summed up in this way
I'VE know now, in n way that argu-
ments can never bring home. that a
soldier. much less an officer, cannot be
made IN a few weeks. and that II would
be n crime against our people amount
ing to nothing less than national suicide
TO send into the field armies manned
aud Differed by unframed volunteers"
The Mayor defended himself against
the criticism Of certain persons by say
ing that his term at Plattsburg was his
own vacation time, to be spent In leisure
" he chose. and that " he preferred to
spend II "at hard work in camp IN the
interest OF a movement in which | pro-
foundly believe" and at "A time when
his absence did not hurt the city's in
terests. 1t was purely a matter of my
own concern"
Nv H' ~ hahNf " N' thk
well of "A suggestion that city employ
ees be trained In military life he re-
piled that the idea might be referred to
the committee OF preparedness
formed at Plattsburg. with Robert Ba-
con as chairman.
His formal statement IL in part as
follows:
II have returned from Plattsburg
deeply convinced of the great value of
Ait. i..Aa III. ANaAG,lgna .Faa
strict. the work hard n the results
achieved remarkable considering the
very brief period Of training.
THE regular army officers assigne
20 duty In the camp did a splendid piece
of work and deserve great credit. Their
patience was in~exhaustible. their en-
thusiasm unbounded and their courtesy,
while exacting strict adherence to disci-
pine, unfailing. All OF US leave Platts-
burg with an increased respect for the
efficiency and character OF the officers
Of our regular army and with the warm
est feelings OF personal friendship for
those will whom we were there thrown
into personal contact.
THE fundamental objects OF the
Plattsburg training camp were. to m
mind. two In number
First. to give the members of the
camp that initial II elementary train
Ink III Alt = " anus nlAu nv WIN
mand of military forces which IL fol-
lowed by more advanced and more thor
ough training would fit them TO become
officers in the event of n national emer-
gency. This the amp did. No one
claims that any OF us by virtue OF
these four weeks of instruction alone
is now competent to command troops.
On the contrary, we appreciate now how
little competent We are. We have re-
ceived. however, a groundwork which
can easily be built upon TO make of these
1900 men material fit to supplement
with officers the nations meagre quota
OF trained regulars and raine mi
litia.
second, and by far more important.
this encampment by practical demon
s~trstion has taught 1900 of the repre-
sentative men of the nation the futility
OF relying upon volunteer rmies in
case of need and the certain national
disaster that would follow a continual
ton OF that national policy. We know
now. in a way that arguments can never
bring home. that a soldier. much less
an officer. cannot be made in a few
weeks OF training and hat II would
be a crime against our people AMOUNT
ing to nothing less han national suicide
to send into the field armies manned
and Differed by unframed volunteers,
These are the lessons taught by
Plattsburg, lessons which this nation
must learn and take to heart II II would
preserve it's free institutions and main
tain It's position Of dignity and inde-
pendence among the nations of the
world. The Plattsburg camp should be
followed by many others Of its kind,
pending the adoption by the national
Government of full and adequate meas
ures of national preparedness"
When the Mayor entered his rebuilt
offices on the main floor or the city Hall
he found a great bouquet Of American
Beauty roses and Jacobs Ladder.
Charles r. Wills. head of the building
firm In charge Of the City Hall restora-
ton. had directed that the Mayors desk
he thus decorated for his return. Mr..
Wills died a few days q in Green
wich. Conn. but his orders were car
ried out. The Mayor was touched by
the remembrance