New Britain herald., 1916-03-17
May Thank Villa Some Day.
(Meriden Record }


 Perhaps some day the people of the United States will have reason to thank Francisco Villa for rushing across the border and precipitating 2 situation which compelled the recog- milton of the president with the sub sequent important results. - .a
 For years there has been a small
 body of men which has preached pfc
 paredness but always they have had
 to combat the theoretical contentious
 of semi-pacifsts that the United States was different from any other
 country; that civilization had pro- gressed to the point where aggression
 would not result in war and that the
 burdens of army and navy cost were
 out of proportion to the good that
 would accrue.
 The punitive expedition which the l United States troops is now making 1 into Mexico has suddenly revealed the 1 things which have heretofore been regarded to a greater or less extent ] as only remote possibilities.
 The public awakens to find that in { order to crush a bandit, practically the entire army in the United States has been ordered to the front. When one begins to figure that the mobile army of this country is only twice as large as New York's police force and that the Yale Bowl would provide ample accommodations for the whole
 army, he gets interesting and start ling sidelights on a question which now promises to provide practical ob
 ject lessons which cannot longer be ignored
 When almost the whole army of the United States is ordered out to capture a bandit, the condition the country would be in if engaged in war with a world power can be jm agined The dispatches have sug- gested that aeroplanes would be used for scouting in Mexico. Where are they and where are the men to man them! But the near-pacifists says machines can be made and men trained True, but in the parlance of the desert, ''the trail grows cold" Already Funston reports delay due to lack of rolling stock.
 In their snug satisfaction over their success in keeping the pork barrel filled. the men who have represented" the people of Inc United States have permitted con- ditions which in the light of recent events are nothing less than crim- inal.. A great, rich country has been allowed to grow heavy and fabby ir- stead of hard and strong. The very agencies which would have prevent ed the situation which has occasion ed the invasion of Mexico and the distressing incidents resulting frdrn the war. have been allowed to deter x iorate so that they have not been potent in time of need. Unless all signs fail the expedition into Mexico is going to reveal the impotencv which has been the subject of earn- est consideration by all who thought more of country than of pork.
 There is no disposition to criticisa the army or navy, because man for man they are undoubtedly the equal of any in the world, but events in Europe the past two years have shown that men are not the only 4 agents to decide a victory. Numbers may not insure safety but if large bodies are properly equipped with all the auXiliaries of modern war- fare a. country has a better show of not coming out of the conflict bat tered beyond recognition. .--... Punitive expedition is a euphon- eous term for an ugly possibility Everyone hopes that the untowapi thing will not happen but there is little to bolster this hope and { he idea of practically the entire regular army being on duty in Mexico is net to make one feel particu- arly safe as regard possibilities in other directions.