Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-13
THE SIZE OF THE ARMY.

THE SIZE OF The ARmr.
The two branches of congress are
engaged in squabble as to how large
the standing army Of the United States
should be- The house wants regular
organization comprising some l4o.ooo
men while the senate has been hoidlnS
out for 22O 900. The difference IS ~
900 men-about two of the units tnae
European armys are measured Oy.
Armies, such as those that are fighting
in Europe, are made up from fifty TO
4 hundred or more of such units.
Eighty thousand men make large
hodv OF individuals bur eighty thons-
and soldiers do not cut much of a ne
ure in modern wars. Regretfable as !.
may be, eighty thousand men are oh'
; dron in the bucket of what would be
needed in case of stern confllct De-
tween this nation and some first class
power.
So it can readily be seen that the
snuabbIe in congress Is not OF much
importance. 1t really does not make
much difference which plan is adopted
ar whether a compromise is agreed up.
m In any case, the standing army OIL
the United States will be entirely IN.
adequate to defend this country IN
case of war. The millions OF men VINO
would do the bulk of the fighting Will
have to come from outside the resu-
lar army organization.
Rearing that fact in mind, the size
of the standing army becomes lmpof
tant merely as regards the neeos pi
the country during times of peace. IN
such times. the army need be put
large enough to mann the nations de-
lenses and keep the organization IN,
tact The small army Of the United
states has been adequate up to the
present time. to meet all requirements
since the Spanish-American war.
r should be apparent to all, that III
. nation which prides itself on being
democratic, the smaller the army VI
Maid professional soldiers, the better II
vii, he Some men must necessarily
g,va their lives to military work and IL
= r;pht and sensible that some men
should be highly developed IN the
sc;enca Of war, but the fewer or the
rank and Ale of Americans that are
Maid to live under arms, waiting TOT
po.sihle war. the better it will be for
/ the country.
: s S'. 4 standing army of one hundred
+hnssand men could easily fulfill the
Sord,naT:. peace requirements OF the
ountry And, as in any event, the
atanding army would be merely nue.
lens for a war army. 1t must De seen Zen
that 4 standing army OF even 22o'ooo
Mon would not be of much greater
ya1ue in time of war, than would the
SMALLER army. Both would be COM
nleteIv lost amidst the masses or vol
unteers. .,,.. :.
Summing it up then, we ind that a
standing army is essentially peace
army When war threatens, volunteers
must be called for whether the stand
inc army ia as small as 1t Is today or
"a large as the senate seeks to make
Il The matter of relative costs is the
on,v consideration that is worth whlie
when discussing the merits OF small
or = large standing army. Naturally
4 would be better for the country TO
have the smaller standing army.
The real problem, then, is not one OF
standing army, but of reserve army;
a "a not a question of having full gar
risons At a lot of worthless army posts,
hut of having enough soldiers to keep
the coast and border defenses III q
proper state Of readiness.
All OF WHICH eIupudol1co JIG Law .AA'-'
congress can put in its time to better
advantage than in fighting over the
ave of the nations professional army.
IF congress will get down to business
IND devise a plan whereby several
million American men can be trained
a. the science of militarism and the in
dustries of the country can be organic
cd to work in harmony with an army
Of defense, then congress will have &C
com plished something worth while.
As It is now, congress Is fussins
about 10000 men and ignoring the one.
two. three, four or more million that
would be needed in the event OF war.
Congress is building few more war
ships, adding few motor trucks 10
the army equipment, buying few
more mules but doing nothing toward
Industrial preparedness
Oh, for broader vision among the
men in whose keeping is the nation
future.
USING THE MILITARY RIFLE.
Military rife shooting. after GER
tain degree Of skill has heen attained,
is fascinating sport. There Is pc
III h Wy q