The sun., 1916-11-27
The Economic Aspect Of military
TPaln1ng.

ToN's apothegm has been so clearly
demonstrated In u history and in
the history Of England that the DIFF.
ference Of opinion on this subject Is
remarkable. England was warned by
Its great soldier long before the pres.
ent war to prepare an army that
would be a efficient on land Us its
navy has proved on the sea. General
RORERTs's advice was not needed. The
fatal result Is obvious to-day. Eng.
land was unprepared for war on land
because her statesmen lost sight Of
the fact that her sen barriers are In.
sufficient. Two precious years were
spent In preparing an army in the
present war.
Like n ~conflagration. war may he
prevented or checked in its inciplency
by adequate preparation. The pres.
ent European war offers On illustra.
ton Of this. The lack Of preparation
has cost the Allies millions Of men
and Of treasure and great loss Of ter.
ritory. despite their superiority in
population, wealth and resources.
A sad example Of unpremredness
was presented by us In the Spanish
war. Lives were sacrificed by reason
Of the lack Of organization In the
medical, commissary and quartermas-
ter's departments. Our volunteers sue
cumbed to disease before they were
called upon to face the enemy. We
have again to-day Il fragrant example
OF slavish imitation Of England's farnl
policy. The bulk of the United States
army. supported by the hastily as
sembled militia. Is endeavOring to
protect u borders. not against an
organized nrmy but against Il band Of
desperadOes whom the so-callel Consti-
tutiOnal army Of Mexico IL impotent
to overcome. There Is no doubt that
the Mexican imbrogliO would have
been averted II this country had had
IN army Of half a million men ut its
disposal. A few we'll garrisOned posts
within reach Of the border would have
kept the Mexican guerrillas ut bay ms
successfully. as-our Western frontiers
were protected against their proto-
types. There would have been no
need OF taking men from their civil.
ian occupations and their families
for this purpose.
Since other cOgent reasons for mill.
tary defence do not weigh with the
so-called pacifists the economic rs.
pect Of this question may be OF value.
The loss Of life and treasure caused
by II unpreparedness In the pnst
and likewise In u present Mexican
d%ificulties presents n clear economic
indictment Of n fatal policy.
Let us take counsel Of events
within the memory Of many now liv-
Ing. When General LEONARD Woop
was Chief Of Star OF the United
States army, he warned MS that no
time must be lost in placing this ma
ton In nm adequate defensive condi-
ton. He began with summer camps
for students. from which the Platts.
burg idea was evolved. More than
80 business men and professional
men have already qualified before an
army board for commissions I'm the
Officers Reserve Corps. This practi.
cal achievement entities General WoOp
to recognition as n safe. sound and
conservative adviser on military train
ing for defence.
We are led to these comments by
the reported antagonism against the
careful and we'll considered scheme OF
the governors Of the College of the
City Of New York providing for extra
mural instruction, courses Of lectures,
supplementing practical work at the
summer training camps. II il to be
hoped that the trustees Of the institu-
ton will not permit their sound judg.
ment to be overcome by uniformed
and unreasonable antagonism.
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