The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-10-18
ARMY PROBLEM
HASPROVED TOO
BIG FOR WILSON
Inefficient in Handling Border
Forces and Unable to Get
Adequate Legislation.

WASHINGTON. Oct. lS.-The oper-
atoms Of the regular army and the
national guard on the Mexican border
IN The last year have demonstrated
not only the wocful shortcomings Of
the nations land defense hut the in
efficiency OF the administration in man
aging military affairs and the made
qlacy OF the recent army legislation
The national guard went 10 the bur-
der ~ equipped and practically I'M
trained. The southern guardsmen were
absolutely unfit for service, according
to the administration itself. which thus
explained why northern regiments
we're sent to the front and southern
regiments kept nj home
the new army Legislation provides
NIUE Improvement upon the old system
OF eduippinS and training the national
guard. End, experience already has
proved that, in recruiting the strength
of the citizen regiments. as well as the
regular army. it is u failure.
Failure OF ViIla Pursuit.
The ineilicicncy of the administration
was disclosed hy the pursuit OF villa.
II had refused TO adopt the general
stan communication To mass troops
at selected points fully equipped to
pursue invaders, such as Villas band.
When the Columbus massacre took
place II required 4 week to mass the
troops and equip them in the manner
previously proposed by the general
stan.
The regular army had only seven
motor trucks within 100 miles of Col
~ Il
until trucks had been ordered, sun
piled. and transported to the border.
together with drivers taken from civil
ian life The administration was forced
to buy motor trucks in units Of twenty
seven 10 company. Had they been ON
hand AT tie start Villa might have
poCn captured.
The army had only eight aeroplanes.
every one Of which ccI Ypscd few
days after the first and only aero
squadron of the regular army had
flown. ridden. or walked 10 Join Por-
shing. Months were required 10 pro-
vide the minimum number OF service
able planes necessary to scouting. and
1t was the lack of such equipment
which compelled Pershing 10 send out
Boyd's scouting party, which was
massacred at Carrizal.
FunStOn'S Demand.
As soon us the punitive eypedition
was dispatched across the border Gen.
Funston informed the White House
that the government must supply him
with many more troops. He wanted
10000 more II the pursuit Of Villa was
to be conducted seriously. N tho prcs-
Funston wanted the carefully worked
out plans Of the general staff 10 be fol-
lowed, These plans called for 100000
men.
MIR Wilson responded by sending
more regulars to the border. lie
stripped the whole country of its reg
ulars. He was warned that by so do
ing he was taking away the only drill
masters the country had. who would
be sorclS needed to train the national
guard and volunteers.
At length the supply Of regular in
fantry and cavalry and field artillery
was exhausted Funston made another
demand for troops and urged that the
guardEmen be assembled for training
Mr.. Wilson's response was to order 10
the cactus country company after COM
pany Of coast artillerymcn.
Forts Stripped OF Men.
There was on file report showing
thai already the ports Of the country
were in sorry condition for defense, the
officers and men being far below the
minimum requirements. The report
was ignored and the depleted COM
mands were stripped to the bone in or
der that more regulars might be oh
tanned and no call 10 the guard issued.
Men who were trained for coast de-
Tense We're transformed into infantry
men and made 10 do border patrol
work. The ports they had guarded
were left almost defenseless.
The call for more and more men be-
came insistent. The conventions came
The nominations were made and the
presidential campaign was on. Two
days after Mr.. Wilson was renominated
he ordered almost the entire national
guard to the border
Rush tO answer Call.
Mr.. Wilson had sent to CarranZa a
note which amounted 10 an ultimatum,
With full mobilization ordered the
country began to believe that effective
Intervention was intended. Recruiting
started with rush. Men of wealth
men Of big affairs. men who knew their
business connections would have 10
suffer during their absence; men who
knew they might never obtain again
their places OF employment and who
knew that the sacrifice might mean
grave trouble TO them and their famil.
les, men OF every sort heard the call OF
country and gave up business, wife
children, everything to answer that
| call. They soon found that they were
merely to police the border indefinitely
On July 3l-fory- days after
the call-by an effort which gave a
genuine surprise to the regular army
men, the national guard had on the
border lll.25T officers and men partly
trained and unframed. No other force
. IL.