The Washington times., 1916-01-02

The most notable work on the state
of Americas defenses yet published, en-
tering exhaustively into the entire mill
tary question, besides presenting a his
tory of the land forces OF the United
States from Colonial times until June /,
1915, has come from the Macmillan
press. Frederick Louis Huidekoper, Of
this city. an accepted authority on the
subject, is the author of "The Military
Unpreparedness OF the United States"
a monumental book of 735 pages, Of
which Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood says in
an admirable introduction: This work
of Mr.. Huidekoper's is one which
should be read. and carefully read. by
all Americans who are interested in
the military history and policy Of their
country"
The author condenses the military
history Of the country down to the
civil war, but omits nothing needful to
the object of the work, and uncovers
the innumerable and glaring blunders
which jeopardized the nations exist
ence at many critical times. From the
very beginning iB patent the "parsi-
mony and shortsightedness, of Con-
gress. In standardization of his asser-
tions. authorities, statistics, and events
are quoted amply. including a hitherto
unpublished letter by George WASH
ington, which reads in part: II lament
sincerely the system of policy which
has been but too generally adopted in
all the States, to wit, that OF tenn
porary expedients; which like quack
medicines are so far from removing
the causes of complaint that they only
serve to increase the disorder"
Experience Almost Ignored.
Mr.. Huidekoper states that America
has never yet been pitted against the
land forces of a frst-class military
power. but that ut is highly improb-
able that any great nation in the future
will ever oppose us with an army which
is not trained to the highest degree.
He considers II doubtful IL the Union
could have been preserved in 1865 had
II not been for the iron blockade which
the navy drew about the coasts of the
Confederacy."
Although the commission appointed to
investigate the conduct of the War
Department after the Spanish-Ameri-
can war declared zone of the lessons
taught by the war Is that the country
should hereafter he in a better state
of preparation for war" comparatively
little had been done to profit by the exS
perience. A complete reorganization OF
the army was worked out by the War
College division of the general stan in
1912, giving the country for the hrst
policy in respect to the military branch
of our service" But THE attempts
made In 1911 and 1913 to assemble one
paltry division of regular troops thor
oughly prepared for war afforded to
the world the edifying spectacle of q
great nation composed of 1O0,0OO,00O
people virtually destitute of real milf
tary strength or the means to make
the few soldiers whom IL could muster
efficient as a fighting force"
The act of April 25, 1914. entitled An
act to provide for raising the volun-
teer forces of the United States In time
of actual or threatened war;" is pro-
nounced lone of the most important
legislative enactments in our military
history" and had their provisions been
in force in 1895, the author declares,
they would 'have prevented most OF
the disorders and blunders committed
during the Spanish-American war, In
cluding the confusion so prevalent in
many Of the large camps, where tho
medical officers not intrequently acted
in defiance of the commanding ofn-
GERS"
A Ridiculous Document.
Mr.. Huidekoper quotes the joint reso-
lutions of April %. 1914. which justified
the. use by President Wilson of armed
forces at Vera Cruz, and says: I'm
contrast TO this ridiculous document
which. by falling to see forth the facts
iustifying the employment OF armed
force, placed the United States in n
distinctly unfavorable light IN its SUD
seuuent action--was the joint resolu-
ton approved on August 5. 1914. which
appropriated s, 500. 900 to bring home the
Americans stranded in Europe as a re-
suit of the outbreak of war on the con-
tinent."
The evacuation Of Vera Cruz "ended
an occupation which, from a military
standpoint. was little short of a farce,
and, from the point of view OF inter-
national comfy. wholly, unwarTanted.
AS to General FNli On ~ vera Cruz,
Mr. Huidekoper says: For the third
time in three years was presented the
spectacle of one OF the greatest powers
In the world unable to assemble even
paltrv force of regulars thoroughly
equipped for war or for such overseas
expeditions as the United States may
at any moment be called upon to un-
dertake."
The mobile army is the only force the
country has with which to repel an at
tempt TO land enemy troops or to pene-
trate into our borders. and this army
will shortly be reduced to 24,602.' 1T
is an astounding proof of our unpre-
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