Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-15
Commentator
FORARMY Plan
OF gen. CARTER
1t Shows Up Weakness Of Con.
tinental Army Plan, in 0pin-
ion of Service Journal

MOI only - Zen. WIllldIn n CdIleI !
opinion highly valued by army officers
but his plan for an organization OF
Federal volunteers Is placed at the
head OF the list Of suggestions, by
many military experts In the Army
and Navy Journal recently Gen. Car
ter's plan, as compared with other
Ilans, is reviewed at length
The Journal says:
Critics OF the unwieldy, top-heavy
Continental Army, which Is -the card
inal point about which revolyes Secre-
tary OF War Garrison's plan for army
reform, naturally have called TO mind
the suggestions advanced last winter
by Mai gen. William II. Carter u. s.
A., retired, than whom there Is no Of.
fIcer in our establishment better quail
flied to analyze the shortcomings oil
our military policy. Gen. Carter was
the last officer of his rank In the army
who could boast Civil War experience,
and HIS lifeline In the service gave
him unique opportunities to observe
its workings under the several differ
ent systems that prevailed from the
Gays following the Civil War up to
the time of his retirement. Some
months ago, while he was in command
OF the Hawaiian Department, he pub.
lished through the Bobbs- Merrill Com
pany OF Indianapolis q volume entitled
The American Army, which summed
up In untechnical language his views
on the salient weaknesses OF our
scheme of national defense, scheme,
by the way, which has never failed to
exact. its toll OF human lives at the
opening OF every war We have embark.
ed upon. 49, @
claring Error Absent.
Like the late Gen. Emory Upton,
Gen. Carriers experiences convinced
him that the solution OF the question
OF providing line Of defense imnne-
diately behind the regular army lay
In the institution OF an organization OF
federal volunteers. Specifically, II
will be observed. his plan bears some
resemblance, to the continental army.
But the glaring defect Of the CONT
mental army-the ridiculous theory
that an army can be composed OF
men trained for two months year for
three years, with intervals Of 10
months Of relaxing into the ease and
undiscipline of civil. life-is absent
from Gen. Carriers plan. One has only
to, study carefully the several sugges-
tions Of Gems. Upton and Carter to
appreciate that the continental army 10
& milk-and-water version of the scien.
tific systems they advocated.
where Gen. Upton suggested the
ID - Of I'D
volunteers in every congressional dis
trict, Gen. Carter urged the formation
OF q regiment, with the proper proper
tions OF cavalry and artillery, to be de.
termined after the conclusion OF the
present war gives opportunities for
realizing the notifications that will
be necessary. As there are now 435
congressional districts In the country,
under the Carter plan we should have
652,500 volunteer infantry enlisted in
time OF peace, az Gen. Carter contem-
plated the organization of each regi.
ment In units of three-three pla.
toons to company. three companies
10 battalion, three battalions to
regiment, together with machinegun
platoon, regimental detachment and
depot company-in all, 1900 men.
HE would also extend this system
t. the regular army and make his tao.
tical organization throughout based on
units OF threes-three regiments to a
brigade, three brigades to division.
etc. Each man In the volunteers would
be enlisted for period of two years
service In time OF peace, which in time
OF war would automatically be extend.
ed to three years, or during the war.
Withdrawal Of these troops from civil
life for extended periods of training
would not be necessary as each regi-
ment would be provided with a regn-
lar army colonel and certain quota Of
regular officers, who could be relied
upon to impart q thorough instruction
that is not possible where the super
vising officers are amateurs like the
men under them.
This is the second principal diverg.
ence OF Gen. Carriers plan from the
continental army idea. He would have
the volunteers under continuous, IL ex-
tended, instruction during their enlist.
ments, and give thsm such instruction
as only regular army officers can give.
The continental army theory, In
tensive training of men for two
months in the year, three years run
ming, without permanent organization
rnder professional officers, can never
provide real army. II would provide
NO Improvement upon the National
Guard. 1t Is Gen. Carriers contention
that il would be better to provide TO-.
600 additional officers and group them
IN skeleton cadres, devoid OF enlisted
men, than to have 100000 men like the
continental army, without continuity
Of organization and relying upon two
months training In summer camps for
their military education.
We shall not take up again the 9TH
e. novel and interesting features OF
Cen. Carriers plan, which already have
been discussed in this publication; but
n n safe to say that il officers like
HIM are given a chance to tell their
views TO Congress the continental
@rU1 VIII have the short shrift it de-