New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-14
Pork Barrel Preparedness.

~ - A@N~~ -
1t is easy to understand why the Demo
cratic leaders in the House Of Represent
atives are jubilating over the retirement
Of Secretary Garrison. 1t is the first
time that President Wilson has hoisted
the white flag to the House. The Senate
made him acknowledge a partial defeat
last year ON the ship purchase bill. But
The House bent 20 his viii even on the
issue of state socialism in deep-sea trans
portation. Now he has yielded TO 1t on
the still bigger issue of military reorgan-
lzation. al the cost of eating the words he
had used in his last message TO Congress
and still more recently on his Western
stumping tour-aud of sending into exile
the strongest member Of his Cabinet.
No wonder the Committee on Military
Affairs passed a resolution congratulating
the President. His easy surrender to
Chairman Hay would have tickled the
vanity of the House under any circum-
stances. II has ticked it all the more be-
cause it has come on an issue nearest and
dearest 70 the tenacious pot-hunters in the
House.
The greatest failure Of the House as a
national agency has been the blind devo-
ton of most of its members 10 purely 70
cal interests. The average Congressman
is intensely parochial in spirit; he serves
ms district first and the country after
ward. His primary aim is to return home
bringing material evidences Of his indus
try with him. He measures his value to
ms constituency by the river and harbor
improvements, the public buildings, the
new pensions and increases of pensions
the good roads and the new rural post
rates which he procues
Military preparedness and the econo-
mics neccssitatcd by it have threatened &c
halt at this session the distribution OF
such miscellaneous favors. But the gloon
of the situation has now been pierced by
a new ray of hope. If the parochial
minded statesman cannot carry pork home
in the old FORMS he can now carry i
home i'm the new form of increased pay
for the officers and men of the state mill
tia organizations.
The Garrison continental army schem'
offered only shadowy local benefits. Thu
quasi-conyersion of the national guar
into continental army promises great
" increased remuneration TO miltar!
bodies already locally organized. Here s.
plan which even an anti-prcparednes
Congressman a peace-at-any price man
can enthusiastically approve. II opens
preparedness pork barrel and cannot pos
sibly result in the sort of preparedness
which would keep a pacifst awake "a
night,
The country Is well disposed toward th'
state militia organizations il is desirabl,
20 encourage the mihtiamen, 20 extend III,
national governments control over them
10 relieve them of ordinary state pole,
duties and TO qualify them TO serve in ar
emergency as % third line i'm our system
Of land defence. Few sensible person.
would begrudge a moderate amount OF
kindly attention paid by Congress 10 tn,
state troops.
But no folly could be greater than e
put forward a partial reorganization OF
the militia as a satisfactory solution of tn,
military defence problem. The militia car
never be more than partially trained
third line reserve. An army in which il
was counted as m essential element could
never be anything iut @ sham. as Mr.. Gar
rison blunt,y told f.- President.
Now that q .ltal army schem,
has been dror ,c uccessary thar
ever for Co.- Divide a real frs
line army. IT, done only by ade
quately increasing ,rc regular establish
ment We should have a regular force
constantly under arms. Of 40 least 100000
men. Il should be capable Of throwing OF
reserves, through the device Of short en-.
listmeuts. up % total Of 100000 men.
A regular army large enough 10 permit
complete tactical organization in d.
visions and 20 constitute real training
school for field officers. for the staff and for
the subsidiary services is the one indispen-
sable factor in any national military reor-
ganization. To add 10000 or 10000 men
TO our present meagre regular establish
ment and 70 stop at that would make a
mockery Of preparedness. Ii would be a