The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-23
Volunteers Should Be Prepared.

Senator Sherman's resolution authorizing the
President to issue call for $4,000 volunteers for
service in Mexico should quickly be adopted by
Congress. II may be quite possible to complete
the work in Mexico without the help of volun-
teers. but should they be needed they will be
needed in hurry and the President should be
prepared in advance to meet such an emergency.
in fact it is difficult to discover any sound reason
why the call should not be issued and $4,000 vol
unteers mobilized at once. 1t would appear to be
a natural step in the direction of practical pre-
paredness. The expedition now in Mexico is in
need of re-enforcemcnts; Funston has asked for
more men, and cavalry squadrons are on the way
from Fort Mycr, Va; Fort Lcavcnworth, Hans,
and Fort Sheridan, ILL., The forces along the
border are wholly Inadequate for its protection,
and when the regular army has supplied its last
man we shall not be fully prepared to deal with
adverse Developments that may in Mexico.
With $4,000 militismcn on the border preparing
to take the field at an hours notice there would
be less prospect of hostile Developments, but
should they occur would be prepared instantly
10 send relief to the imperiled regulars, even il
the only service required of the volunteers would
be the replacing of those regulars who now
guarding the border.
In presenting his resolution Senator Sherman
referred to Gordon's fate in Khartoum, and some
OF our easy going statesmen and citizens will re-
gard him as an alsrmist, but for all this govern
ment in its present state of unpreparedncss could
do to prevent Gordon's fate might be Pershng's
True he is in no such danger so long as Car
rama remains friendly to the American cxpedi-
ton and is able to control the forces which he
now counts his; but considering all its expert
cnce in dealing with leaders OF Mexican factions
Carranza as we'll as Villa, the question arises
whether this government is justified in stalking
the lives OF its soldiers upon Mexican protesta-
lions and assurances. There can be but one
answer; the government has right to accept
such risk. 1t should be equipped with guns and
men we'll as with promises, to safeguard Perish,
ing and his soldiers. Their safety now depends in
large measure upon a long and vulnerable line
of communication with its base in the United
States No very large hostile force would be
required to interrupt it. And it cannot be denied
that it would surprise considerably less than hall
the people OF this country to learn that a new
army had been formed to give battle to the
"gringo invaders" and teach them lesson We
have had ample warning; if we do not heed il
future events may place heaNy responsibility
upon those who are blind or indifferent to the
country's needs.
Just what be urged against authorizing the
President to call for volunteers is not apparent
unless It be the expense, and it is scarcely con-
ccivable that this would be weighed against the
possibility OF disaster invited by continued UMPIRE
paredncss. Even should the volunteer army never
be called upon for actual service, something Of
value would be learned from the response to the
Presidents call at this time when Congress is
engaged in creating a new army.