The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-18
ARMY OF 100000
NOT ALL FIGHTERS
British Are Actually Holding
Only About 1.OOO.O 600
TcutOns.
"BATMEN" NCMEROCS
Special Correspondence 10 ris srS

'pf't"' o'rcfpon0srrs 10 liz SITS.
LONDON. May 2o.--Can II he possible
that Great Britain at the present time
mas 'our million soldiers eating their
heads n Col Churchill affirms II as a
fact. and pertinently asked the Prime
Minister. who had stated in numbers the
armed strength Of the Empire. Where
were those hve million men ="
Without in any way running counte
TO the censor. IT may he said that in
Franco England IL holding about thirty
hve German divisions. in Syria three or
four Turkish divisions and I'm Nesopo-
tainia from six to eight ~divislons--say
torty-n,e divisions In all-and " these
enemy formations are taken at their ut
most numerical value they amount to
no more than a round million. including
the communication troops.
Making all due allowance for the need Of
strategic reserves. it must he borne in
ifind that a great principle is involved
IN the economy Of forces" now that the
hghfing services OF the Crown are cost
ing $4,000. ooo tsl5.o0o,oO0) a day.
Is fun fighting value being got out, Of
every division? Col. Churchill SAYS NO"
Then he speaks OF an army Of servants
and grooms ~ masses Of unused
cavalry. n finally OF the home service
units. " course IL is a matter of high
politics To determine whether a great
defence force ~ needed for these islands.
and II a question Tor the General stan
whether cavalry has had It's day in
western Europe. In pursuit IL lis still
"A possibility. and no doubt a host of
trained soldiers will he maintained for
the purpose OF feeding. grooming and
exercising troop horses and chargers.
Too Many "Batnen."
Blu in regard to the class OF men
which the Indian army calls followers
and excludes from It's fighting strength,
and which the British army calls bat
men," undoubtedly there is room for an
extensive application OF Wellington's
rule TO pay officers a servant allow
ance' and let them shift for themselves
or hire a domestic. The regulation that
"hatmen' are to he available for duty
IN the ranks Is one more often honored
In the breach than in the observance.
THE question ~ employed men. how
ever. only touches the fringe Of a very
sore subject. namely. the non-efYec,ives
OF an army that eat up It's rations and
deplete its pay chest without doing a
hands turn toward gaining a victory
or STAYING of defeat. All Generals
have groaned d this incubus. and
Wolseley referred TO even his few war
correspondents as useless mouths"
Wellington went 81 FAR as To exclude
deliberately from his 's,ates' every
soul who could not be classified under
the term "sahrss and bayonets."
Major q L. Roadway, an excellent au-
thority. points out tina, there is still
another cause OF the woful shrinking
~ f.ngland's armed forces. and that
IL the raraphernalia Of stationary war
fare. In addition TO the pseudo military
colony that Is growing UP on each line
Of communication. almost every month
witnesses the advent Of new units
Non-Fishuns Units.
There are labor battalicns and 'un.
melting companies. searchlight compa-
MES and Typographical sections. pioneer
hattalions and a number OF admInis,ra.
tive units for the British Adr'atic Mis-
son. Then there are drainage COM
paries, military prisons IN the field. cleo
'ric lighting sections and even a non
combatant corps. In the air service
over a dozen mechanics are employed for
every pilo, trained.
That all these ancillary troops. in
Guiding the postal service. the hospital
service. railway and motor transport
service. add to the comfort and wei
being ~ the fighting force IL indisput-
able the only question Is whether the
nation can afford II In view OF the cost
for not only is the British soldier far
better paid han the oldiers of Ger
many, Austria. Turkey and Bulgaria.
but the wages Of every man who can he
persuaded to avoid the forefront OF the
battle are practically double.
Tho British public, Il Is known, gag
erly counts the number Of German casu-
allies. hut the German public watch es
with equal satisfaction the ou'pourirg
~ British gold. Zach believing that Il
has found the others vulnerable point.