Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-07-02
NOT A VACATION PASTIME.

/ The following able and timely edi-
torial is from the Brooklyn Eagle.
From it you will gain keener in
sight into the conditions that confronts
this country in its trouble with Mex,
ico
There is disposition in certain
quarters to look upon the possibility
OF war with Mexico as a sort of a mil
itary lark Some of the more enthus-
iastic guardsmen are looking forward
to perfectly corking vacation, COM
bining all the joys of the camp with
the thrill of the chase, and with
minimum of danger to the man hunt
ers. There are others who are in
clined to look upon the whole matter
as too trivial for serious thought. They
are patriotic and all that, but they
sporting proposition. Of course, Il
there was any real danger to the
country; if it were threatened by
first class power they would enlist
gladly, but Mexico-let a few of the
boys go down and hold the border
while Perishing cleans up the coun-
try.
"Both of these attitudes are griey-
ously wrong. They spring from the
mixture of robust egotism, admirable
self-reliance, deplorable ignorance OF
history, unquestionable courage, ey-
cessive faith and obliviousness to
contingent danger that sums up the
average American character, espec-
tally young masculine character. me
fact is that every army officer
and student of military affairs knows,
that war with Mexico would prove to
be anything but a picnic. 1t would
mean fighting of the most determined
kind from the outset and would be
costly in precious lives. We should be
fortunate if there were no Alamos, and
while the lack of resources ON the part
of the Mexicans would work for the
success Of our troops, at first the ad
vantage would work with the Mex,
leans.
1.-THE Mexican war in 1916 was our
most successful war, but we learned
nothing from it. We employed over
100000 men in the conflict against an
enemy numbering approximately 4e,-
900. With the regulars in the field and
militia Immediately available we have
about $4,000 men for service at pres
ent. 1t is said that the Carranza fore
|
es actually in northern Mexico at pres
ent number over $4,000, including As : |
600 mounted men, who know the couu.
try like a book. The number of reg
ular troops employed in the Mexican |
war was $1,000, or about the same
number now under General Funston. |
American success in the early war
was largely due to the body of trained
soldiers who served as a nucleus ara
allowed time to train volunteers This
obviated the necessity of using large
numbers of militiamen, as during the |
war of 1912, which was made 50
costly by the lack of trained men
Owing to the fact that the militia was
not available for service outside of the
United States we were compelled to
fight Mexico with trained men, using
only IL per cent or militia against
about SO per cent in the war of 1912.
To-day we have about the same
number of trained men to face larg-
er number of seasoned enemy forces. !
armed with machine guns. For the
rest our dependence at present is up
on the militia now available for SER
vice in Mexico. Without volunteers in
case of war, we would be worse off |
than in 1916, while the Mexicans are
much stronger. War with Mexico if |
| it did nothing more, would prove a |
most valuable object lesson in the |
need of military preparedness. We
have no doubt that our soldiers would |
be both courageous and resourceful.