The Washington herald., 1916-05-23
SEEN AND HEARD
BY GEORGE MINER
Special Correspondent Of The Wash
inEtOn Herald.
lCopynsht. lsl6, b. the Mcclure NsvspapeF
sypd1czI.-J

New York, May 22.-The great number
OF marchers in the preparedness parade to
pass q given point in an hour IL still a
matter that military men marvel over.
They can't yet understand how it was
done, for never IN the worlds history. 50
far as any one knows has II ever been
done before by any military or civil pro-
cession.
Whether there were I32Oo or 1900 per-
sons IN the parade is Of very little con-
sequence. The conservatives admit the
first number and the enthusiasts claim
the last Taking the lowest hEure 70
work on, # meant that an average OF
more than 1900 paraders passed the re-
viewing stand each hour. That made
every parade expert open HIS eyes in Won
der. They can hardly yet believe the cold
record Of facts. Such swift and huge
marching was never before heard OF.
A Record Breaker.
The most sensational statement %
parading ever published. even outshinlnE
the actual feat OF the preparedness
paraders, was an account in New York
newspaper several years ago describing
a st. Patricks Day parade II said that
there were .nol men IN line and they
marched so fast they all passed the re
viewing stand in one hour"
Records OF the United States army and
the National Guard for half a century
show that the maximum figure for mill
tary bodies parading in city streets when
formed in dOuble-Tank platoons, twenty
one men abreast with the proper quota
OF cavalry and artillery. is 500 an hour
and that can be maintained only for =
short period OF time.
Officers Of the National Guard who are
acquainted with the facts say that the
average military parade rarely passes a
given point al rate exceeding s,oOO an
hour and civilian parades rarely march
faster than 1000 an hour
The woman's suffrage parade last octo-
Der was an unusual example. The anti
sUfTrag.sts who watched with counting
machines in hand. admitted that there
were 1900 women and 500 men IN the
column. The ua1orl-y Of the morning
newspapers next day stated the number
at 5000. Estimates Of the elapsed time
differed, ranging between three and three
and a half hours.
Admitting the shorter time and the
larger total number. the parsders march
ed at the rate % little more than son
an hour. The published photographs
showed formation by p,atoons Of twelr %
or sixteen f.es each. From all accounts
il was the best organized civilian parade
ever held in New York.
NJ. Philip Dillon, formerly OF the CniteE
States navy, was SO astounGed Al what
happened on May 3 that ne looked up
the records II narades and kindly furnish
ed me these figures.
The disturbing fact e that eitho- there
was something supe-humau about tho
I preparedness parade or that military
corua nders and parade managers Har-
/ |nsNor known how 70 move large bodies or
( men eIpeditiouslv
Overlooked SoIdiers.
IN connection with the p-era-esro,s
campaign. CorCress seems 10 have failed
to take into consideration a ve-v in0or-
liant fscJo-- II has overlooked a ~or-
siderable number Of young men H'-eadv
/ trained. not Simply drilled in the manual
I once a week. hut under military dlsci-
nline niEht and day for from six 70
o.Cht yeas during a time when they ave
. At the most receptive psrod o. thor
lives. between the aEe ~ s~e and tverr-
In the present necessity. time is Of I'll,
greatest importance. These Young rrp
are all officers IN embryo. having studied
military science for years as well as hrv-
ing lived a military life under q regular
army officer
There are tWentv-eiEht military schools
/ IN the country maintaining such
IraiEtd and Uuif0ru1ef CCrDs
L Will surprise the general 0ubI.- -
, Learn that the hC-s i'm many 20 'hrsa
schools d~.N ofterer and 1o~go~ rran tho
bows It West Point. that a cavalry -=
well as an infantry oTcaIizaU0-. ir mai
tai 81 ~ many of 'herr and that The ~7-
d,ts are rey-- out Of their uniforms
during the school yea or ~r,ass.T C--r1
military disci0lua. that they 90 l-.n
regular 0uCawumen' ard work out a-r--
rua-r-.RTrs iu the field with sna.0 battles
executed With military s.iareg. ana -ra-
rrh"z are lnso.-raE ,.,r -r.- rr -rHro--
of the Wa 8 20. r.we-' uho ~rr ~ arI
grade Tho schools according to the show
inS made
oTer Them Communications
Ur5o~ the ur.sort circumstance "
4 would scCw Gest~ahl, THAT all graduates
of these schools o. sufficient axe would
he encouraged 10 enre- the army ami
( their offer 10 DO SO welcomed Fu' ar
I present there Is provision by which
only tho from each school arc CCC-0i
/ commissions on passing the s-~- *
amirations
II only tven-- Of the graduates T-0-7
each school each Junc elected O. 60 i~.n
It AMY. It wou.d mean au increase So
I the pris-LUr' n N, 0N5cegs II more than
SO each year
. We are h0wlinE for i"-'vcS Offices
and absolutely CverIool5t. g rho.S 'N-' a~s
: being trained ri-ht q; hand.
Federal Clearing Plan Postponed
/ The Federal r. -vo Board yesterday
voted unanimously 10 defer the insuEura-
ton Of the now clearing and collection