The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-05-31
'61-'65 VALOR RECALLED
Continued from first page.l

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bacle broke out in 1914, and even though
the clouds appear to have broken for tn,
time. being, no one can foretell what ths
future has in store for us. Perhaps We
do not know how near TO war we hay,
been. In advocating plans for prepared
ness, | am sure that | have the sympathy
OF all veterans, for who is in a better
position to realize the value of readiness
Preparedness means getting ready fol-
something that is TO happen or some
thing that may happen. 1t has Tor its
immediate object war. There are those
who argue that we are in no danger OF
war, those who argue that armed conflict
is imminent. Who shall sayi For my
own part | believe that the burden OF
argument is on those who expect war
sometime in the future, inasmuch as
there have been wars in the past.
ITO get our army and navy forces in
readiness for possible action is too big a
task for one man. Constitutionally it
is not the duty of the president, nor is it
wholly the duty of the commander of the
armies. Instead the task is delegated
to general army staff, made up of Off
GERS selected from the United States
army. Campaigns that might be waged
in all parts ofSthe globe are carefully
worked out in the war college at Wash
ington and then filed for future reference.
When trouble breaks out, members OF
the general staff turn TO the files for the
tentative campaigns prepared in the past.
Mexico for instance, is threaded with
campaigns of this sort and you may be
sure that our punitive expedition WAS
not sent to the boundary before some OF
these elaborate campaigns had been con
suited.
"0ur army has been exposed to ridicule
throughout the world, not because Of it's
inefficiency, but because of its size. New
ertheles, since the Spanish war, the
army has been increased, although at the
present time the mobile forces number
less than $1,000 men. And most OF them
Are engaged in running down a single
| bandit in Mexico. There is legislation
passed by Congress, waiting to be signed
by the president, which will remedy some
OF the shortcomings apparent to every
observer. | propose to give in brief some
of the features of the so-ealled prepared
ness bill.
Immediately. the bill contemplates
doubling the size OF our regular army. |
You veterans of the Civil war Well know
the part which citizen soldiers played in
the great conflict between the states.
There are very few regular army men
alive to-day who were in the service |
when the war broke out Just now, in |
Vermont, we have one squadron of cav
airy and regiment OF infantry, citizen
soldiers, but aggregating less than 1000
men. Under the new bill Nermont's
quota win be larger and | shall rejoice
to see a company of mihtiamen estab
lshed right here in Barre. In the past
the National Guard has been condemned
by those who did not understand it, The
Dick bill, following the Spanish war. rep
resented the first move to federalize the
National Guard, but what failed in those
times Is about TO become a reality. Then
the regular army can be used anywhere,
whereas, under the present law, the Ma
tional Guard. controlled by the states, i
utilized for three purposes, upholding the
law, suppressing instructions and re-
polling invaders. There is only one in
stance when the National Guard refused
to go beyond the border of the union and
in that instance, personally, ! feel that !
the guardsmen were wrong as no invader I
is repealed until be is annihilated. Fed
eralizing the guard is largely matter /
of changing the oath There are those ,
who argue that a confiction of authority
between the president and the governors
win ensue, but am skeptical OF such an
eventuality. +
"More than 225,O00 regular soldiers will j
be augmented hy a force of 100000 Ma
tional Guardsmen in the course of time, :
if the proposed bill becomes reality. {
The European war has demonstrated the
value of trained officers and provisions |
here in America call for force of $4,000 I
officers. Education in subsidized colleges d
is one OF the means sought by the federal i
government to introduce and promote \
training for officers. There are 81 such a
colleges and five military colleges in the i
United States. have the promise that 5
Norwich university will be constituted as
4 training school for officers. the only .
school for cavalry officers, in fact, in the c
United States.
II cherish a hope for universal military n
raining, as distinguished from universal 4
military service. Army men, and | have Il
lived among them p years, do not wish Il
war, and the love for war would not be
ostered by military training. But the {,
interests of the nation would be safe n
guarded. Say and think what we will of ID
Germany. we must admire her admirable >,
ystem of military training and the same Ii
esults that have accrued to Germany in 81
ivil life from military training would o.
ollow the adoption OF the system in V
America R
Veterans at Banquet. pi
One OF the time-honored features of :,
Memorial day in which the veterans may ~
e depended upon to indulge themselves
vas the dinner served by the women of
he Grand Army circle in the yestry of :;
he Congregational church. A number OF "
hose who were unable to take part in
he services at the hall were privileged :,
o join in the reunion and a gathering =
hat brought pleasure TO a company of =,
iore than so people was ended with an n
Interesting impromptu program of speech /,
laking The women outdid themselves I
providing a substantial banquet. They
ere assisted by the women's auxiliary y,
D the Sons Of Veterans, an organiza q.
on formed within the past year. Credit "'
,r the successful dinner must be shared
Y those women Of the older circle, the - y,