davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Immediate Fault is
With Military System.

The immediate fault is with the system
that We have followed so persistently for
so many years. For a century and a
quarter we have been attempting to
make a military machine that Will work
without giving 1t certain vital parts
which during all that time many Ameri-
cans have known to be absolutely cs-
sentiaL We have played a sort of ma
tional game of trying to sit on Two
stools at onCS and always nave lalleli
between them. We have divided control
between the regular army and the ma
tional guard, and then further divided
control of the militia, on national guard
between the States and the Nation.
No persons are quicker or Heener IN
recognition of the dangers OF divided
control than American business men.
But, as a rule. heretofore they have
been content to confine their attention
and the benefit of their knowledge of
affairs to their personal interests. They
have not made much II any effort to
secure for the national defenses prac-
tical application of this essential axiom
OF business success.
The responsibility for the long con-
tinuance OF this deadly fault in our
military system rests, of course, with
the American people themselves We
are not a military people. however mar
tial some of us may think we are. The
pomp and pageantry of military prepa-
ration has small and brief interest for
us, while the labor, the care. the sus-
tained effort necessary to achieve sue
cess are positively repellant
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Time Needed to Give
Sense of Discipline.

Our men are impatient OF discipline
and of almost all the training that goes
into the making of n thoroughly good
come this natural military deficiency in
the average American citizen. Such
time cannot be had after war has been
declared and when the enemy is press
ing hot upon us with all the speed that
modern warlike ingenuity and energy
can provide. 1t can be had only in time
, OF peace. and it is in time of peace that
we must make our preparation, II ever
We arc TO have an adequate defense.
Ihere IS 10 real danger that such
preparation would be employed for pur-
POSES or aggression. That has been one
OF the Ion" standing arguments against
the maintenance of a regular army. but
IL has no justified foundation Ii is
against the temper, the characteristics.
and the habit of the American people.
whose impress upon their Government is
entirely too strong to enable even a
Jlngo Administration to embark upon
such a war.
Obviously the thing that must be
done. If the United States is to have a
| defense organization that will be both
| adequate and permanent, is to reform
! the system that for so long has failed
! to secure such a defense. The reform
| must go to tho heart OF the matter, and
| cut out the vital fault that has always
| produced extravaganza, delay, and dis
| astcr There must be an end of the
| divided control that has so thSroughl ,
| proved it's cXpensVencss ana its ineffI-
cheney. The Capitalization OF authority
the concentration Of power that hai
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
BaHour Explains Hon
Blockade Is Justified

, so designated, is not the result of
deliberate policy but of a geographical
accident. 1t is not due to any desire
to favor scandinavian exporters as
compared with American exporters,
and in practice it will have 10 such
effect"
Mr.. Bslfour refers harshly to the
Germans, who began hostilitics by
tearing up treaty and continued it by
inflicttnS the worst horrors of war iIpon
a people they had sworn TO DEFEND
Nevertheless. argues Mr.. Balfour he
could not support a doctrine OF retalia-
| tlon which would contemplate the plum
der OF private property or tho shooting
| OF innocent civilians. lie adds:
Those things were brutal and bar
barouS before the law of nations took
shape; they would remain brutal and
barbarcus if the law of nations fell into
desuetude. The policy / am de-
tending has no resemblance to this. 1t
violates no deep etchicaI instincts: it Is
in harmony with the spirit of intcrna-
| tional law; II is more regardful of neu-
| tral interests than the accepted rules of
blockade. Nor IL the injury, which il
| is designed to inflict on the enemy, of
different character from that inflicted
| by an ordinary blockade.
' And, lastly, II is a reply to an alta elk
| which is not only illegal. but immoral.
| And II some reply be legitimate and
necessary, can better one be de-
| viscd?"
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Preparation of Men
is the Vital Problem.

ror Inc true preparation for national
defense lies not so much In the acquire
ment OF rifles and big guns, and reserve
supplies of ammunition and other neces-
saries of war, as It does in tho prepar-
alton of the men themselves who are
TO handle the guns and use the rifles.
The training to be provided for the
boys and young men should be simple
and easy to learn. 1t is all that Is nee
essary. Other nations have pointed the
way, and especially have Australia and
New Zealand shown how It can be done
admirably and effectively and yet with
small expense.
Provide q system of training that will
teach men how to live and handle them
selves in camp; how to bear the life of
a soldier in the field and maintain their
health; how TO make their camps and
how to keep them clean and sanitary;
how TO get their rations and clothing,
and what to do with them. These are
absolute essentials of good soldering
and of good living as well, and they arc
far more important in the training OF
Americans to become possible soldiers
in the national defense forces than Is
mere instruction in the manual of arms
or squad or company drill.
With compulsory training of all the
The Washington times., 1915-03-28

The practice which it seeks to defend
does very much more harm than good.
For II is this pra ctice which is in largo
measure responsible for the utterly false
belief regarding the military power of
the United States that is SO prevalent
among our people.
It is not pleasant for any American
who has pride in his race and nation to
feel the necessity of pointing out tho
unfortunate facts In our military record
T have known a general officer in his
official report of an action to suppress
the fact that one of his regiments in
his command broke under fire and re-
fused to fight. Whatever his conscience
said to him privately about his action,
his report no doubt made 1t much more
pleasant for him to get along subse-
quently with that regiment.
But however much the colonel Of that
regiment and his commanding general
might fool others. they could never fool
themselves as to exactly what had oc-
CURED. And the knowledge they had of
the incident inevitably had it's effect
upon all their subsequent doings Especi-
ally it had its effect in the subsequent
disposition OF hts troops by that general
so far as that regiment was concerned.
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Self Searching May
Be National Benefit.

So a national searching of SELF par
ticularly at a time like this, may well
prove of the utmost importance and
benefit to the United States. 1t has
been with this thought in mind that l
have taken pains to point out In pre-
yious articles some of the unpleasant
experiences In our national military rec
ord.
IF the list has seemed long it can be
said with complete truth that it might
easily be made much longer. OF course
we arc not wanting in our military his
tory in incidents of the other kind.
There have been plenty of occasions
which conferred great glory and just re-
nown upon the men concerned. But
since we are trying to tell the truth.
even though disagreeable, rather than
merely string together number OF
pleasant incidents or tictions, IT must be
said that from the beginning down 10
our latest test in arms our military rec
ord is largely one of lnlsmanasemcnt'
blunder, and failure.
The mere winning of victory, Whether
in tho immediate fight or in the uitllllale
result of the war, does not properly cN-
cuse faults of system or Poicy "nicii
have unnecessarily sacrificed life, money
or time in the achievement. waste OF
money is bad enough in all conscience,
but what excuse can there be for waste
of life? $50
Yet our military history Will demon
strate beyond the possibility of ques-
tion to any candid student that our
military policy has been failure ana
that our system will not work. At lcast,
1t never has worked. II has prolonged
wars. 1t has been recklessly extrayn1- 2.
CANT of life. 1t has been abominably
wasteful of money. 1t has not been
efficient in accomplishment of results.
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Must Invoke Power
to Compel Service.

The nation has the inherent and un-
doubted right to demand manhood mill
tary service of all its citizens 1t has
the right and the power to compel such
service. Several times that right has
been specifically declared by law of
Congress. first in 1892 and last in the
act making provision for troops for
service in tho war with Spain. In tho
civil war the nation invoked the right
and exercised the power in the drafts.
The action has been SUSTAINED by the
supreme Court and is no longer cues
toned or questionable.
Let Congress- now again invoke that
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Congress Has Power
to Remedy Deficiency.

It would be comparatively easy TO
rcmedv this defect in the regular estab-
lishment. One comprehensive piece OF
national legislation would accomplish
the entire purpose In comparatively
short time. The army itself Is well
aware Of its true condition, and has
been exerting itself to the utmost TO
secure relief and reform But the re-
suits Of its careful and detailed studies
have been neglected or ignored by Con-
eress, and the necessary reform Is yet
to be accomplished.
To remedy the defects in the other
part of our divided national reliance Is
not by any means so easy. 1t cannot DC
done through the continuance of the
present system. This system has fun
damental fault that Is not to be over
como by mere amendment. 1t Is wrong
at the root and must be cut out entirely
or abandoned.
To cut 1t out would require an amend
ment of the Federal Constitution, which
probably cannot be obtained. IF II
could be obtained 1t would require at
least several years to bring about It's
adoption. and Just that much more time
would be wasted. For the purpose can
be accomplished in ample measure with
out amendment to the Constitution.
The full power exists today. and is in
the hands OF Congress. unrestricted and
unlimited. 1t requires only action by
Congress. and that is within the will OF
Congress itself.
We have made long and patient cf-
| fort to evoke success out of the pres
| ent system. OF late years we have
been able to whip the disruptinE devil
OF divided control part way around
the stump, but VIC can never drive
him the whole distance. And he IL
always there, ready to bob back again
at the most critical times. perfect
and permanent breeder of defeat ano
diSaStsr.
The Washington times., 1915-03-28

right and employ that power. Not for
the creation OF any such national armed
camp as Is found in nearly every ma
ton In Europe. 1t Is to be hoped that
no such procedure as that ever will be-
come necessary for the United States.
But under that right and that power a
system can be established in this coun-
try that VIII not only provide an ade-
quate national defense force, ready for
Whatever emergency may arise, but
tnal VIII at tho same time develop and
Improve the physical manhood of Amer
,can boys and young men, and be a
oeneht to the nation and the race.
Let a system be created that will pro-
vide certain amount of training for
All the boys and young men of the ma
tlon' we do not need conscription and
enloTceu service in war as yet, and II is
greatly to be hoped that we never shall
need them. But we do need compulsory
training for our boys and young men,
both as a means of physical improve
incnt for them and as a means OF Sc
Suring national defense
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Show Ingenuity in
Seeking Peace Position.

So it was with the war of 1917 For
nearly a decade the American people
were subjected to most outrageous
treatment from both Great Britain and
france. Their ingenuity In the inven-
ton of peaceful means of securing
redress vas not exhausted until the
methods adopted had included the long
embargo, the attempt to enforce which
brought more distress upon American
enterprise than 1t has ever known be-
fore or since.
Nor has it been only from strong ma
tions that we have endured affront and
outrage without retaliation. It Is only
few years since a President of the
little republic Of Venezuela put upon
tho United States, with complete I'm
punity. insults and indignities that
would have been ample justification for
the most drastic punishment, and which
many another nation would have repaid
with war.
And now Mexico has furnished the lat
est convincing PROOF. Not the destruc-
tion of thousands and thousands of dol
lars worth of American property, not
even the wanton taking of many Ameri-
can lives, has sufficed to stir this Coun-
try up to the point of insistence what
ever the temper of the Administration
may be, upon vigorous action for redress.
surely no one can genuinely believe, in
the face of all this, that we are really a
nition Of jingoes and that our national
spirit is really aggressive. If II We're We
would have been I'm Mexico long ago.
and would have provided by annexation
for a permanent cessation of the disturb
ances that wrack that unhappy land.
This recognition of the nonmlitary
character of the American people makes
all the more important the preparation
of an adequate national defense during
the period when there is time for the
work that must be done in order to Sc
cure the desired result. 1t is vastly more
necessary for us, constituted as we are,
| than for a truly military people, wko
take kindly and quickly to the essentials
of military preparation.
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Stimulate Interest in
the National Defense.

Couple with this system of training
of tho boys and young men the organ
ization of a national defense force un-
der the direct authority of Congress,
with the Congressional district as the
organization unit.
Coming directly under the power of
Congress such a force would be formed
exactly as required by military con-
siderations. All arms of the service
could be properly and promptly organ
lied. and in the required numbers.
1t would then be easy to secure cor
rect tactical organization into brigades
and divisions, and, in fact. as high as
II was desired to go with the orGaniza-
ton. From such "a force there could be
formed the reserve from which true
expansion of the regular army could
take place IN time of war
The organization of such force would
tend at once to stimulate national in
terest in the national defense. 1t would
secure and hold tho attention OF Con-
gress. Its merits would rebound to the
credit Of Congress, and it's faults would
bo brought home to those responsible
for them. Congress would have direct
responsibility for II. as 1t would have
direct power over 1t. Its necessary cx-
pensc would be vastly less than the
frightful waste and extravaganza under
our present ineffective system. 1t would
furnish a possible use for some of the
smaller army posts now usclessly main-
tanned. as training camps, schools OF
instruction, target grounds, and so on
And 1t would afford an easier way to
bring about proper tactical orsaniza-
tion IN tho regular army through the
establishment of brigade and division
posts.
All this Is simple, easy OF accomplish
ment, inexpensive. clearly within the
power of Congress, and stimuative of
national interest in a matter which is
of tho gravest national concern. 1t is
at least ono solution OF problem of the
gravest Importance both to Congress
and TO the nation.
Copyright. 1915. by the Chicago TribuneD
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Militia Fails to Show
Proper Efficiency.

We have made trial for more than a
hundred years of both the general mill
tia and the state troops, or National
Guards. Our experience has proved
that both have failed to provide the
adequate defense that Is essential to
the continued stability and security of
the nation. The record has established
beyond cavil the absence of training
and efficiency in these forces. But
more than ever in these days of mod
ern military science and precision both
training and efficiency are in the high
est degree essential for successful de-
Tense
Under our present system of divided
control and divided reliance tho regular
army is maintained upon the theory
that It shall bc the nucleus around
which the true national defense Is to
be formed In time of emergency. But
at the same time that tho record shows
the failure OF the militia part of our
divided reliance to fulfil its function.
IL also shows that the regular army
cannot perform the service for which
it Is maintained.
This again is due to another fault in
for the regular army the tactical or
ganization absolutely necessary to en-
able 1t to perform the function for which
1t exists. Our regular army today is
body Of highly trained individuals, as
we'll trained and as efficient. probably.
man for man, as may be found In any
modern army. But It Is trained In the
duties and work of individuals. and not
in the duty and work of armies. 1t has
no true tactical organization. 1t Is
simply a collection of a number of small
units. The highest effective organiza-
ton it has is that of the regiment.
There is not true division In the army
And yet in present day wars the division
Is the smallest unit usually found oper-
,t;,o ,,, t1o In
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Military System Here
All Wrong, Says Davis
Writer Declares Schools Are Partly to Blame, as They
Have Forced Misconception on Their Pupils
Truth Hidden by Educators.
By OSCAR KING DAVIS.

said that who fails learn by his
periene fool What shall be said of people who
refuse learn their national experiences of more than hundred
years? exactly what the American people have refueX
to do in the matter of military experiences.
found undoubtedly the fact that
large proportion of people familiar with the record
Of these experiences Past question Schools both preparatory
and higher gravey fault only permitting their pupils
from them with positive msconcpeton of American his
tory actually facilitating many practically fore
ing such msconcepton upon their pupils.
Perhaps is easier and doubt pleasant for
writer's Of school books gloss directly
msrepresent the gang faults failures American national m
and such Misrepresentation perhaps excused by the writer's
especially of books younger Children upon theory
that when their students grow older they will
ing of the truth time when better able comprehend all its
relations and bearings. If that it is poor excuse.
The Washington times., 1915-03-28

young men In tho country. enforced
military service. even In time of war
becomes far less uf n necessity than
it Is now. JNor men so trained and In
struCted Will be far moro ready TO
enlist voluntarily when the emergency
arises than are the unframed men of
nowadays, and. at tho same time, they
Will bo far more efficient in service
and II Will require n much smaller
number of them TO accomplish the work
TO be done than 1t now requires of our
unframed. inexperienced. and undls-
ciplinod volunteers.
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
international Policy
Has Not Been Aggressive.

Nor arc We politically aggressive inter-
nationally. The element of aggressive
ness In our politics is confined almost
wholly to our domestic affairs. We have
fought four foreign wars. As to three
of them not the slightest ground exists
for any charge that aggression was a
factor in their causes. As to the fourth
--<he war with Mexico-the charge has
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
General RabagO Dead.

Ell PASO, Tex. March 2s.-Gen. An
tonic Rabago, who was called the
Phil She eridan of Mexico" died in Chi
huahua city. Ttabago was under SEN
tenCe of execution for killing in March,
1918. Abram Gonzales. minister of Gober-
nacjon in the cabinet of President Ma
deTo.
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
The Question of "Discrimation.",

Nov, I>submit that If there be dis
Crirnination' inflicted by the British
blockade 1t is not discrimination Of
this kind. 1t does, no doubt. leave
the German trade with Sweden and
Norway in the same position as Ger
man trade with Holland and Denmark
and in a different position from the
German trade with America or Africa.
But the Discrimination IL 1t Is
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
Calls Standards Too Rigid.

But such a mode of reasoning ap-
plies the most rigid technical standards
in a case where technical standards
must be used with caution. 1t appeals
to the letter Of international law. but
II ignores the spirit.
What, in the eyes of the ooJector' IS
the defect Of the British order in coun-
ell? 1T is that the blockade, OF which
notice is there given. does not possess
al the characteristics OF blockade as
defined in the authoritative textbooks
and that in particular 1t violates the
rule which forbids DISCRIMINATION III
favor of one neutral as against Ahother.
"Now the object of this rule seems
clear. 1t is desipncd to preVeht inc
blockading power using its privileges
in order TO metc out different treat
mont TO different countries, as, Tor IN
stance, by letting the ships OF ono
nationality pass the blockading cor
don while it captures the ships OF an =
other. Such proceeding is on tne
face Of it unfair. 1t could have no OBJ
iect but to assist the trade or on"
neutral as against the trade or an
other and arbitrarily to redistributo
the burden which war unhappily IN
fIicts on neutrals as well as on belliS- =
erentS,
The Washington times., 1915-03-28
L. S: Persists in Military Ignorance

demonstrated its worth so amply and
so well in American business must be
put to new proof of It's value In the
preparation of the national defense.