The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-12
WHEN CIVILIANS MARCH.
How Many Thousands Can the Mar
shals Of Preps redness Manage?

To THE EDITOR or THE SrN-Sir: Who
is responsible for the statements that
135. 1000 paraders. or $1,000, or 100, GOA
will pass the reviewing stand next Sat
urday during the period of twelve hours
from IL \. NJ. to II 4. NJ? one news
paper has figured out that THE regi-
ments will pass by ut the estimated
rate OF 1000 persons an hour. AT
that rate It will take "a little more than
twelve hours for 1875, 900 to pass.
There is no record of any such swift
and huge marching. so far as | have
been able to ascertain after careful in
vestigation. In all the parade history OF
Europe or America. The most sensa-
tional statement of parading, aside from
the forecasts Of next Saturdays parade,
that I ever read was printed In "A New
York newspaper several years ago de-
scribing a st. Patrick's Day parade. The
newspaper said that there were "72, 600
men In line, and they marched 30 fast
that they all passed the reviewing stand
In one hour"
Records OF the United States army
| and the National Guard for half a CEN
fury show that the maximum figure for
military bodies parading in city streets.
when formed in double rank ~platoons,
t~wenty-one men abreast. with the proper
quota OF cavalry and artillery. is 5000
al hour. and can be maintained only for
"A short period of time. officers OF the
New York National Guard who are ac-
quainted with the facts say that the
average military parade rarely passes a
given point at a rate exceeding 5000
an hour. and civilian parades rarely
march faster than 1000 an hour
The suffrage parade las,
October was a rare example. The anti
~suffragtsts. who watched with counting
machines In hand. admitted that there
were $4,000 women and 5000 men In
the column. The majority of the morn
ing newspapers next day stated the
number at $4,000. Estimates of the
elapsed time differed. ranging between
three hours and three and one-half
hours. Admitting the shorter time and
the larger total number. the paraders
marched at the rate of n little more
than 5000 an hour The published
photographs showed formation 10y
platoons. twelve files In each. There
may have been platoons OF sixteen files
From all accounts, 1t was the best or
ganized civilian parade ever seen IN
New York.
In comparing that suffrage parade
with the coming parade 1t Is important
to consider the element of duration. The
smaller tho body and the shorter the
time, the greater is the feasibility Of cor
rect discipline.
Upon what promises do the managers
OF the coming parade figure that they
can send II 600 civilians an hour past a
given point for "a continuous period II
twelve hours? A parade of civilians
moving nj the rate OF 1000 an hour for
twelve consecutive hours. a total ot
$1,000 marchers, would smash all world
records.
The anti-preparedness organization
VIII probably station agents with count.
ing machines along the line Of march
II they can show that figures submitted
10 Congress by advocates of prepared.
ness are as loosely got up as the fore
cast figures of the coming parade. they
VIII put something like an anti-climaN
on the efforts OF sincere hut ineNper,
patriots who will make the coming grea,
demonstration for Country and Common
Sense. PHILIP X. DILLON.
NEW YORK. May II.