Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-03-06
THE SENATE MILITARY BILL.

THE SENATE MILITARY BILL.
The senate committee has intro
duead n bill for more than doubling
the sizc Of the standing army, for
doubling the physical and incidentally
lettering the moral strength Of the
national guard, and for volunteer
continental reserve along the lines adj
tocated by Garrison and the military
staff The plan Is not all that 1t
should be, but is far better than was
hoped for when the national guard
lobby got In Its deadly political work
and practically forced the resignation
of the secretary Of war.
Let II be said In passing that the
senate bill has seen TO II that the par
ticular set OF men who expected to
feather their nests by defeating an
adequate army bin win gain nothing
under the present mcasure--at least
very few of them Will be the gamers
thereby. Tho bill provides for syH-
tenn of examinations for the national
euard officers that few Of them can
take, and unless the governors Of the
various states name officers approved
by the war department. the purse
strings OF the nation viii be drawn
very tightly There il an old pros
verb which fits the present case eX-
artly, There are other ways to Kill
dog than choking him to death
with butter" 1t Is understood that
the house bin Is practically identical
with the senate measure, and that
this nation soon win be in a reason-
able state of defense.
one thing at least Is established by
this war. No great nation, adequately
prepared, has anything to fear Do
Tense under twentieth century oondi-
lions Il superior TO offonse defense
can be made to match ana ovcsmatch
any offense.
In The days Of tho great conquer
ors, Il was otherwise In Napolcon's
time The offenae could be met onlN
hy offensive strategy aud tactics, ANA
not until his later years was the en-
pcror so opposed The fundamental
inisconception Of Germany today lay
80 her notion that her offensive could
oyetwhclm any defensive, howaoevcr
supported by fortresses ana men.
Notwithstanding their startling sue
ccssea, llndcnburg and Mackcnscn
hive learned their lessons. and the
crown prince Is learning his lesson At
awful cost before Verdun.
France held the first rush Of the
war and hurled II back. The british
limos held at Ypros o first aud eceond
tmc--and the German lines in turn
have been holding.
No general today, facing an cqual
opponent, can force n decision In the
field The combat inevitably resolves
itself into siege warfare. and the alcte
OF nation exceeds that OF Il fortress
in difficulty. II the present dam gives
way ON either side IL will be because
Of exhaustion. But no fortress or ma
ton can Withstand an indefinite be.
disagreement.
The lesson for the United States Is
obvious We have nothing to fear
provided we are adequately prepared
We have everything TO fear. should
We neglect our defense. Il Is now
certain that we are TO have reason
able preparation for defense on the
land. but II we have an adequate navy
40 hostile foe viii ever set foot on oar
shores. Like France, We can roll back
amy assault, however formidable.
Like Belgium, we can be swept from
coast 20 coast. il We continue with.
out an army and a navy.
Militia as d means Of defense is
obsolete Standing armies even "
half a million men. cannot resist tho
onslaught q millions OF trained clu-
zens Guerilla warfare no longer can
seriously DAMAGE invaders. All the
individual valor in the world asails |
nothing against the great guns |
machine guns, rifle nrc and disoi /
pinned my riads. America, prepared ,
as she might be, has nothing 90 fear /
from the combined armies and nayics
Of the world. But America. ms she J
Is today. would be overwhelmed and I,
humlliated by Japan alone.