New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-16
Increasing the Army.

existing organizations by raising the
strength of these organizations TO the
maximum figure provided by law.
On the present peace footing the M
fantry regiments in this country are on a
AZ per cent strength basis, the cavalry
regiments on a rs per cent basis and the
field artillery regiments on II per cent
basis The joint resolution applies also to
the coast artillery companies, but it is not
intended to recruit them to the maximum
limit. because they are not considered
available for service on the Mexican Dor
DER
The joint resolution passed Is para
phrase of the first paragraph Of the Hay
army reorganization bill. The increase Is
for emergency purposes only. The bill
makes the increase contingent on war or
the threat Of war. The resolution makes
it contingent on the appearance and con-
tinuancc of what the President may con-
slider an emergency
The easiest way TO utilize recruits to the
regular army is to incorporate them into
existing organizations. Numbers are thus
achieved quickly, though at the expense of
the efficiency of the existing regiments.
More material is available at once, while
the average Of quality is lowered But to
call this temporary expansion Of existing
cadres a real increase Of the army is mere
" TO iuggle with words. The cadres are
not permanently enlarged, nor is provi-
sion made for additional officers. The
whole scheme is makeshift. The regi-
ments are 10 shrink back to their mini
mum strength as soon as the particular
emergency which the joint resolution has
in view vanishes.
What is needed in the way Of military
reorganization is permanent increase OF
strength of the army in ali its branches.
II is folly to talk about picayune additions
TO this branch or that branch Of the
service when the whole military estao-
Esbment needs 10 be broadened out from
foundation TO capstone. The army we
have at present is only toy army 1t
cannot do what an American army Is like
" TO be called on at almost any time TO DO
Last Friday President Wilson ordered
American troops into Chihuahua They
did not 60, because they were not prepared
70 90. The commander at the front knew
;hat it would be foolhardy to send tiny
command into the Chihuahua desert to
bring back Villa dead or alive" Safety
for the expedition could be guaranteed
only by those in control OF the far superior
Mexican forces across the boundary line.
Entering Mexico without permission from
Carranza, our troopers might have been
lucky to get back themselves dead or
alive"
General Funston prudently declined to
take chances with his little command. In
stead. he called for reinforcements, and
our Washington dispatches reported yes
terdav that his representations chat the
forces at his command should not be fewer
than fifty thousand made q deep impress
sion on the President and the Cabinet"
II has been obvious for months past that
the troops we had on the Mexican border
were not equal to anything beyond main
tanning weak defensive. They have not
been strong enough to keep out Mexican
marauders. If we had got into war
with the Carranza government, there was
no assurance that a Mexican general OF
the quality OF Obregon might not have
taken FL Paso from US and terrorized the
whole Rio Grande region. Yet now, after
calling on General Funston 70 risk an IN
cursion into Mexico without Carranza's
consent. the Administration is deeply i'm
messed" for the first time with the state
ment that what We needed on the border
was an army not Of $4,000 20 10000. but
of at least $4,000.
Colonel Glenn, Of General Leonard
Woods staff, who spoke at a dinner IN
this city on Tuesday night, is reported to
have said Of the military situation along
the Mexican border: of IL was not so pa
tbetie. Il would be farcical. tell you that
the American army Is the most pathetic
thing that ever came along in history, and
the other nations know this even better
than we do ourselves"
Mr.. Hay doesn't know It, and many
other Congressmen do not know it. They
have stubbornly refused 10 look at the
facts, and have talked old-fashioned
epread -eagleism instead Of coming down TO
earth and studying the conditions which
have converted modern armies into vast
intricate and highly organized machines.
They arc still living in the primitive
militia period. That is why they cannot
realize the tragic insufIiciency Of our army
organization--its utter lack Of adjustment
20 the military needs Of the United States
We shall have 20 muddle along on the
Mexican border. trusting 10 Carranza in
;he main for the production Of Pancho Villa
dead Or alive But the experiences Of
me lat week ought 70 have stirred the
muddlers in Congress out Of their leth-
arVy Thew have "A h, fbeir Y,oucr IN 70