New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-08
No Hybrid Army Wanted.

,Qr military establishment uAueI siACu' LAG
told the House Committee on Military At
fairs on Thursday that the essential duty
Of the regular army ought TO be TO give
instruction to our second and third line
levies. His idea seems to be that apart
from guarding the Mexican border and
serving as the backbone Of any expedi-
tionary force dispatched to points outside
the United States the regular army e1-
hausts its functions when it tutors CONT
mental or other raw levies taking the field
for training two months in each year.
That is very narrow and mistaken
notion of the uses Of regular establish
rnent. If we are going TO increase the
regular army at all we ought 70 take
fully into account its serviceability for de-
fence In case we should become involved
In war with military power strong
enough TO invade our territory and attack
our coast cities. The report of the War
College Division, which Mr.. Garrison re-
Gently made public, put the minimum fig
ure for a standing army equal TO our de-
fensive needs at about ,000-281 900
IL the non-combatants Of the medical and
cuartermaster's departments are included.
This force would constitute real first
line to be used primarily for military pur-
poses, not as a mere instruction corps for
the training of two-months- a-year citizen
soldiery." II would have a reserve of its
own-of soldiers trained continuously for
two years-and, including this reserve,
could furnish the 100000 men which most
military authorities agree would be needed
to meet the first shock of any serious
invasion.
What is to be gained by keeping the
regular establishment down TO 100000
as Secretary Garrison wants 70 do-and
depending upon undetermined and made
ouately differed second and third line
troops for a first line field army in case
Of war? We should save money in time
Of peace; but we should lay ourselves
omen TO incaculable losses if war should
come. In case of war neither our under
sized regular establishment nor our top
heavy militia establishment could do itself
Justice, for neither would be equal to the
complicated and arduous requirements Of
modern warfare.
Secretary Garrison puts the cart before
the horse. He wants TO utilize all under
manned regular army as an instructors
N corps for the continentals. Yet what our
u regular army-whether it be 100000
strong, 100000 strong or 100000 strong
needs most is self-instruction. Our great
want at present is military Organization
military system capable Of taking care
of itself, of handling the forces at its dis
posal, and of absorbing rawer material
from the second and third lines.
Our officers have not mastered the prac-
tice of modern war. because they have
never had an opportunity to master 1t.
What chance have they ever had TO study
the operations of division? Yet the dl-
vision is the unit in modern warfare. We
could not now mobilize division without
putting the resources Of the army to
severe test. We could not put an army
corps in the field, because we have only
$4,000 mobile troops in the whole of
continental United States. We should
hardly be able TO put an army corps IN
the field if Congress accepted Secretary
Garrisons plans restricting the mobile
force in continental United States 70 3d.
COO men.
How are our officers to learn the bust
ness Of handling and maneuvring divisions
If we do not give them real army with
which to work? Modern war has been
greatly complicated; on the technical me-
obanical side It's demands have enormously
increased. Our army is practically with
out modern field artillery. Transport con
ditions have changed with the advent of
the motor car. Aviation opens new and
wonderful field in offence and defence. All
staff work has been made immensely more
arduous.
What Ia the use Of 'alking about setting
4 small corps Of oficers, unacquainted
with the tools and practice OF modern
war. TO instructing large masses OF thor
oughly raw troops? We must have many
more regular officers, and they must them
selves learn their business before they
start in TO teach the ignorant. They must
have real soldiers and real military sys
TEN to practise with, and these essentials
will be lacking until we create real hrst
line army, with minimum strength OF at
least 100000 and a mobile strength In
continental United States of at least
121 900.
Mr.. Garrison doesn't want TO give the
.-..,u ~ cbarca 70 educata itself hecausp