New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-19
WHAT WASHINGTON WROTE
His Letter Shows the Cost Of Un.
preparedness in the Revolution.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: desire to add my voice to the chorus
of approval of your remarkable editorials on
the great questions Of the war and the defence
of this nation. wish that the whole series
could be read and reread by every American
"The Sham" and Remember the Lusitana'
were particularly good, but the whole series
is so excellent that selection Of editorials that
stand above the rest is difficult.
I would like also to comment on letter
from q correspondent, Francis X Erringtou,
appearing In your issue of the 14th. tie taxes
to task The Tribune and others OF US VINO
believe in really adequate preparation and
intimates that a lack of historical knowledge
Is responsible for our failure to realize tnst
wonders were accomplished in the Revoiu'
tionary War without preparation. Mr. Errihg'
ton speaks with the cocksureness OF one VINO
has absorbed his historical information en-.
tirely from those charming little WORKS Oh
fiction that masquerade under the geneiai
Characterization of school histories wi'n
pt ssibly little extra learning gathered irom
the utterances of campaign and Fourth Oh
July orators when warming up" CROWD "
the proper enthusiasm. Let me give M hf'
rington little advice. II he is really ihle''
ested in the matter, can recommend tnat 10
read carefully General Upton's "Miii.s'y
Policy Of the United States II the stsus.'eS
etc. make that valuable work too dry reaain1
he could employ we'll his time in perus'ns
General +. V. Greene's admirable niue "o'',
1.-THE Revolutionary War" And let MN Nv,
forget to consider the words OF the principe,
actor In the War Of independence uehefa.
Washington, in a letter to the President o.
Congress, dated August 20, 1850, which wi"
take the liberty Of quoting in part: A..
Had we formed permanent army IN w
beginning, which by the continuance .. Wv
seme men in service had been capable OF o''
cipline, we should never have had 10 re'rsA.
across the Delaware In 1916 tremonhs ~.
the fate of America, which nothing bu' w
infatuation of the enemy could have sa'sI'
we should not have remained all the sueseeu
ing winter at their mercy, with so"e'
scarcely a sufficient body OF men 70 hiOu"
the ordinary guards. liable at every nI0mss
to be dissipated, il they had only 'n9usn,
proper to march against US; we shouia ~.
have been under the necessity OF hs"'".
Brandywine, with an unequal numoer 81 -.
troops, and afterward Of seeing Philads'P",I
fall a prey to victorious army; We '" 49,.
not have been at Valley Forge with less W.
half the force of the enemy. desti'u1s
everything, in q situation neither 70 g..
nor to retire; we should not have see" ~
York left with a handful Of men, yet an Owe.
match for the main army Of these s'as..'
while the principal part Of their force "
detached for the reduction Of two OF 'n. .s;,
we should not have found ourselves . oao
spring so weak as to be insulted oy NV,
men, unable to protect our baggage sho ~
magazines, their security depending on
countenance and q want OF enterprise :" -,
enemy; we should not. have been the grea';; n.
part of the war inferior to the enemy
debted for our safety TO their inactivity
during frequently the modification OF So
inviting opportunities Of running them P ara
unimproved for want of force whien =,
country was completely able TO afford snu .n,
seeing the country ravaged, our towns D s.rsd
the inhabitants plundered, abused, inu'"'
with impunity from the same cause ,,S
The above quotation from one VINO sno os,v
be unimpeachable authority in the eoenns
which owes so much to him is one VI
strongest presentations OF our faiiure "
TO the situation in the Revolution sho Va
the ablest arguments in favor OF aues r..
preparation that I have ever seen. rfep
ton for the wars of the present DAY MS NJ,
far more than the preparation OF 100 y
ago. and the destructive results ana uA"; n
from a lack Of preparation have ineres,'. ..n.
proportion. I'hope that The Tribune w,n
tinue the fight that 1t has begun for co.. "a
which will be sufficient to stand any N''
""'e" " FARMLAND BRIGGS
New York, Nov. Is, 1915.