Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-09

NEW 1okk, May 6.-The hardest
of all military posts TO fill in time
Of emergency is that OF an officer i'm
the engineers. II takes long time
10 tram soldier. and longer still TO
! train an officer OF the line. But as
for making a man into AN engineer
II simply cannot be done in loss than
years. unless you take an engineer TO
start with.
IT Is this fact that makes the big
preparedness movement among Amer
lean engineers OF first Importance The
trained technical men OF the United
states are one of our biggest military
resources. once they put in a posi-
lion where they can be called on when
needed. The engineers have set out OF
their own accord TO learn something OF
the military side OF their business. so
that they will he ready. in case OF
war. TO do the work that has to be
done.
The European war has shown the
Importance OF the engineering arm
more clearly than ever. The Germans
have always laid stress on this branch
and went into the conflict we'll sun
piied with engineering companies; vet
since me war began the proportion OF
isinaers TO total troops has almost
oeen doubled. II is easy to see where
ncih engineers arc essential. In war
" trenches, OF bridges quickly built
ana destroyed, OF big guns continually
being moved and dismounted Of mines
ana countermines. OF wire eutaurle-
incnts and bombproof dugouts-a war
IN word. such as all modern war
bids fair to become
In any sort OF a war worth mention
ing. The United States would have 10
cali Tor 100000 troops, whether these
troops were actually called upon for
actiNe service or not. Al present IL,
IS estimated that the strength OF the
engineering troops should be aboIit j.
per cent OF the total strength Thus
| the army OF 100000 would call for 30.
| "op engineers and these 10000 eu:.i.
neers would need 100 officers Al
| present, the army possesses about o4o
| engineer officers. and only few mora
| IMAM half OF these men are engaged
IN actual military work The rest are
employed on government projects. such
as the i'ahama Canal, which call for
hish aeSres OF engineering skill. but
are really civilian engineering work
| except for tho small portion dealing
win the construction Of works OF dc.
| tense
The engineers preparedness move.
| meht mad IT'S beginning in New York
Inc engineers WORT. AS a rule. is sticn
| mat he lives or al least makes his
| headquarters In a big city. Hence
the idea as IL spread went from one
| mctFonolls 20 another. until the list
now includes such places as Chicago
! Pittsburgh. Philadelphia, Detroi, ana
|
| Francisco.
! Headquarters in New York.
| About onehfth IF all the engineers
| in the United States either live or
! nave their headquarters here in New
| ork. The headquarters of the ma
! uonhl engineering associations-the
civil. mechanical, mining and electri-
| Gated here Thirty-fve hundred men
are enrolled in this city alone for the
lectures. readings and conferences on
the duties OF military engineer
Like many another of the prepared
ness movements which are sweeping
the country, the project had for its
| basis the idea OF making known a
| need that would confront the country
| in case OF war, The engineers took
| up the scheme with an enthusiasm that
! surprised even the men who conceived
| II. The lectures. which were the FIRST
| step III the program, were delivered
| under the sanction OF General Wood,
| who himself addressed one OF the
| meetings. General Wood asked for an
| assurance that at least 100 men would
! attend the first meeting. Over 1000
| were present, and II was necessary to
turn 700 away from the doors.
The training given the engineers
consists in n series OF lectures on mill
tary engineering problems. the sug-
gestion of useful reading along the
same lines and n series of conferences
! on the work thus read. Resides this
hundreds Of the men are actually
drilling. with the intention OF attend
| ing the next PlattsburS encampment
| They would like to have the govern
inent arrange for a special encamp-
| ment for engineers. as the PlattsburC
| camp comes at a time when most en-
| gineerS find il impossible to leave their
work in the field; but so far this has
proved impracticable. The lectures
are delivered by staff officers OF the
army engineering corps. who manage
TO find time for the extra work in ad
dition TO their regular duties
In tho short time since the project
has been under way seven lectures have
been delivered, covering many of the
problems that an engineer encounters
in the field in time OF war. IL has
proved necessary to give each OF these
lectures three times over in order ia
give all the men who want to hear
them chance to attend. AS for the
drill work, the leaders Of the move.
ment arc confident that 1000 engi-
necrs would turn out in this city alone
If an cncamDment were provided at {:
time when their regular professional
orli was not too pressing.
Numbers big Surprise.
The numbers OF the engineers and
trained technical men in any big cit,
comes as something of surprise tc
anybody who has never investigated
| the question. The city Of New York
employs about 1000 engineers i'm mu.
nicipal work. Fifteen hundred mu.
nicipai engineers work on the sub.
| way alone, exclusive OF hundreds more
employed by private contractors. As
| An instance OF what reserve corn.
OF engineers could do in time Of war
the vital question OF the defense OF
| New York In case OF invasion arises as
l hn Iofo