The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-12
THE MILITARY SITUATION.


The sudden but not unexpected
death of the continental army plan to
provide a considerable force of trained
army reserves for war emergency
does not, of course, mean that con-
gress has already turned a deaf ear to
the principles of the preparedness
program that President Wilson is
pushing. And the president was wise
in not committing himself irrevoeably
to the continental army proposal, even
if this attitude did cost him the ser
vices of Lindley NJ. Garrison, its auth
or, and one of the strongest and most
brilliant of the men in the cabinet.
Just because this plan was conceived
and projected by Mr.. Garrison as sec
rotary of war it did not follow that it
must be the best one, and must be ac-
cepted as such by congress. The plan
seemed exceedingly visionary and was
so labeled by most of the military eX-
perts. According to Mr.. Garrison it
was the only alternative to compul-
sorry military training if this country
We're to have any kind of an army re-
serve. Anything that smacked of the
latter except, possibly, modification
of the Swiss army reserve system,
would be sure to be intensely unpop-
ular with the mass of Americans, and
there is little likelihood that congress
would go counter to this sentiment.
But the house committee that killed
the continental army plan is of the
opinion that an adequate army reserve
can be supplied by a development and
enlargement of the existing National
Guards through extensive federal aid.
| Mr.. Garrison refused to give serious
! consideration to such a suggestion be-
cause he is firm in the opinion that
congress has no power to give the ma
/ tional military authorities direct con-
troll over these state military organic
atoms even in time of war. But the
house committee is pretty certain that
congress can pass legislation which
would authorize the president to call
on, or assume command of the Ma
tional Guards in times of stress.
However, if constitutional barriers
block this road, numerically strong
and thoroughly equipped and trained
National Guards could still be depend
ed upon as an immediate army reserve
at the beck of their nations call.
That was the case in the Spanish
American war. When large auxiliary
forces were needed to supplement our
then diminutive regular army, Presi-
dent Mckinley called for volunteers.
National Guardsmen were given the
preference, the first chance. And al
most the whole complement of the
militiamen in the several states
promptly responded. Companies,
battalions and whole regiments of
them volunteered en- masse in many
instances. They could be depended
upon to do the same on any future
occasion. and especially if their organ
izations were more strongly supported
by Uncle Sam. So even if authority
could not be given to the president to
command directly the Nation l
Guards. these citizen soldiers would,
practically speaking. be Immediately
available for the nation as an army re-
serve. And if Strengthening the Ma
tional Guards is as far as congress
wishes to go in the direction of CIV
ing the country a larger military
force-outside of course, of increas-
ing the regular army to 10000 as
the president proposes. and to which
there seems little objection from any
source. Mr.. Wilson seems to have pur-
sued the proper course in leaving a
way open so that he can gracefully ac-
cept this half-loaf in the reserve line
that may turn out to be of sufficiently
large proportions. Had he stuck to
Mr.. Garrison and attempted to force
, the continental army plan through
congress, he might have created sit
uation that would have periled any
action at all by congress in the matter
: of increasing the nations military
: force.