The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1916-08-24
easons for Mobilization.

L ~
the border; necessity Of exercising
diplomatic pressure, and preparedness
Here is General Parker's statement
OF the situation as printed in the III!
nCis Cavalryman and the Minnesots
Border Patrol, two weekly papers is
sued by Illinois troops at Brownsville
and Minnesota troops at Llane
Grande:
THE question is now being asked
by many men Of the state troops here
in camp, What are we here for" II
is well that an answer be made to this
question, and that it be kept in mind
by all. The government and the PEG
pie Of the United States certainly ap
preciate the sacrifices that are being
made by officers and men Of the state
troops in performing this service. They
have left homes and families. They
have left important positions. They
have come to hot and sometimes dis
agreeable climate.
Render Service to Nation.
But they should feel that what they
are doing is not being done in vain,
that they are rendering to this coun:
try wonderful service, that they
should be thanked and are beins
thanked by the people of the United
States for patriotic services done ths
country.
What is this service? In the first
place, this country was and is still
threatened by war. The conditions on
the other side of the Rio Grande are
worse than they have ever been be
fore. Villa is still at large. He is like
ly to make another raid. The temper
Of the American people becomes more
and more impatient. The people are
realizing that the prestige of the coun.
try is suffering. Unforeseen situations
are constantly occurring and some ot
these situations may demand action.
May Go Into Battle.
1T is therefore apparent that this
army may be of service as fighting
force. 1t is therefore apparent that ii
should become prepared. That the Of
ficers and men should be fully trained.
This can only be accomplished by long
hours of drill each day and by enthu.
siastic work.
"Secondly, if it is desired to exer.
else diplomatic pressure, the exist
ence OF a large armed force is neces'
sary.
1T goes without saying that this
armed force should be well trained
and fit for fighting. It should be train
ed in drills, because these bring about
discipline and prompt obedience to
commands. 1t should be drilled in tar.
get practice in order that wbsn it goes
into battle it's fire would be formid.
able. A soldier who cannot shoot is
not half a soldier.
Training Essential.
1T should be drilled in marching, in
order that troops may be concentrated
quickly at important points, that our
army may be able to pursue the en-.
envy and defeat it. It should be train.
ed in camping and all the various du'
ties of the soldier in camp, sanitation,
cooking and the care Of arms, equip
ment, etc., in order that it may always
be ready for duty, and in order that
it may move in campaigns without
confusion.
1.-The very fact that the weather ia
hot or wet, that the camps are dusty
or muddy, prepares the troops for the
inevitable conditions of a campaign,
and for the hardships that the troops
may have to undergo. It is we'll, there
fore, that troops should become hard
ened and accustomed to undesirable
conditions such as these.
Guard Is Officers School.
Thirdly, we are here because this
is the creates, step toward prepared
ness the United States has ever tak-
en-. We are training men, and espe-
cially officers, for future wars. In
case of any great war we will need an
immense army Of millions of fighting
men, and to train them we will need
tens of thousands of officers and non
commissioned officers as drillmasters.
The national guard is school for
officers of volunteers or of our con-
script army. 1t is to the national
guard largely that we must look for
the men with military training who
are to whip our millions Of conscripts
luCO Suap0.
X X X
Experts Conquer Tree Disease.
Professor F. L. Washburn, state en-
tomologist and director Of the fight be-
ing waged in Minnesota against white
pine blister rust, said to threaten vast
pine forests in the state, has reported
to Governor Burnquist that satisfac-
tory progress is being made. A special
fund Of $1,000, voted by the state un.
der the statute relating to calam!ties.
is proving a great help. Professor
Washburn said, permitting among
other things the employment OF five
experts.
To Exterminate Plague.
Four of the special men arc trying
to exterminate the plague near Tay-
lor's Falls where serious inff-, ,tion was
found in the timber. The fifth is
starting a survey along the st. Croix
and Wisconsin rivers and Wisconsin