The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-26

The forthcoming departure for the
Mexican border OF two New York reg-
ments OF infantry. the Seventh and the
Seveniy-first. and corps OF eng ineers.
the Twenty second. was the news of
most general interest v.sieI.iav from
the Governors island headquarters of
Major-Gen Leonard wood command
ing the Department OF the last
Gen. Wood. hard at work all day with
Col Edwin +. Glenn. mis- chief OF stsff.
in solving the vexatious problems fired
AT them from twenty states and the
District II Columbia By "A tardily mobi-
lizing and an inadequately equipped Ma
tional Guard. definitely announced that
the Seventh. the Seventy and the
Twenty second Engineers would be
started for tho trouble fringe without
delay II the Government supply depots
throw on high speed other regiments
from this and other States IN the be-
partment of the East Will Ice shunted
southwestward IN orderly procession.
As Gen. Wood plans now. the Fifth
Regiment of New Jersey will divide with
the three New York militia organizations
the honor Of being first chosen for active
service
Little Bett-r Than In iS0s.
Subsequently the remaining New York
regiments that nave been designated
for Federal service and regiments and
commands from other States will he
sent on their way. When they can 20
depends almost entirely on how rapidly
the defects Of an ancient system can
lie corrected and on how great penalty
must be paid for lack OF foresight
The truth OF the whole situation Is
that while the regular army depart
mental commanders. the mea who Will b"
held responsible for the success or fail
ure OF this second line mobilization. are
quick to praise the energy and spirit
OF the militia organizations officers and
men. they are ready to tear their hair
over the lack of things that ought 10
have been foreseen and provided years
ago. certainly months ago,
The regular army experts. who are
toiling like ditcn diggers ~ crank up the
militia forces and make them run like
regular machines are experiencing ex-
act,y the ,nnoyRnceS and troubles they
predicted would occur II quick call for
service were made to the militia. To put
the matter squarely. the situation Is very
little better than II was at the outbreak
| Of the Spanish war Departmental COM
mandcrs. spurrcd 10y orders from Wash
ington, are finding that militia cavalry
commands are quite ready except FOR
the trivial fact that they haven't enough
horses that infantry commands are
ready" except for the fact that som"
/ of them haven't enough blankets to cover
half their men Distressing shortages in
equipment pop up at every angle OF tie
situation-hats saddles, blankets. horses.
Rush Orders Issued.
Departmental commanders are heing
nudged by telegraph to hurry up, hasten
movements to the border show results.
They learn from the newspapers that the
| War Department ~ prding itself on III"
! facility with which bothersome red
tape" has been cut in the present ma
tionnl emergency. They have gained
the impression that Washington thinks
! 100 600 men can he yanked overnight
| from offices and workshops and sent tn
Mexico the next day. That sort of an
| impression has been spread over the
country. The regular army officers
charged with the responsibility OF getting
| to the border men properly armed,
properly clothed and properly equipped
! unde rstand perfectly the Stiffness OF that
/ point Of view. They were working about
/ four times as hard yesterday as would
have been necessary had the equipment
of state troops generally been kept ul'
! to n decent standard
These officers will say privately--it Is
! Impossible for them publicly to criticsc
| the Government of the United states and
the various state governmcnts--that the
way the public has been soothed to COM
plete trust In the perfect readiness OF the
! militia is little short OF criminal, They
will say that the newspapers are partly
10 blame because Of the local pride incen-
/ tive 10 pat home militia organizations on
the back and tell what fine, dependable
fellows they are and at the same time
omit TO point out defects In training and
lack ~ equipment,
! The facts Of tho mobilization test of
the mast week az observed by the regular
army officers are that II was deplorahly
slow, that equipment which ought to
have been on hand as a matter OF course
In lacking. . further cause for Delay. and