The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-06-01
'UNPREP AREDNESS
! OF RUMANIA WAS
DISASTER CAUSE
Badly Beaten AS a Result. of
Lack of Training end
False Economy

The primary causes OF the swift drs-
aster by Rumania, despite heroic eff
forts, In her struggle with the COM
bined forces Of Germany, Austria, Bull
garia and Turkey. have been related
by Gen. uiesco. chief Of staff of King
Terdinands's army during the Inflated
campaign.
Gen. Ilsesco, graduate Of the Ecole
PolytechniQue. Paris, and OF the Ar
eillery School Of Application at Fon-
tainbleau. fulfilled the duties Of his
post with great skill and distinction
throughout one OF the most trying
periods that have fallen to the lot of
responsible soldier during the war.
Gen. Iliesco shows that the lack of
trained men in the ranks and in the
command of light artillery and Of air
planes were mainly responsible for the
defeat of the Rumanian army and he
gives interesting facts in connection
with these deficiencies.
In emphasizing the necessity of
thorough preparation for war and of
strict discipline in the army Gen. Iii
CISCO says that America has no reason
to fear militarism in the realization of
ASA 6iCdS- VIGIL, III O5ie GILL, anu 110 1iiSI-
tons France as an example of a train
ed army in a democratic country. Gen.
Iliesco said:
1.-The failure of our campaign was
primarily due to the lack of suffi-
cient number Of trained soldiers, train
ed officers, field guns, machine guns
and airplanes. Owing to an INSULT
cheney Of funds, it was impossible to
two ;r,; oh VOC oil
the men reaching military age.
''Thus the war found Rumania with
many unframed men OF a military age
who, despite their well recognized bra
very were unable to compete with the
trained enemy
"Only trained, disciplined troops are
of any value in modern warfare. And,
as above all 1t is absolutely essential
to have a. great number of soldiers,
careful training of all in time Of peace
must be had. -.
Peace economy permitted Rumania
only hef the number Of officers she
really needed. This lack, coupled with
a similar lack Of noncommissioned Of
dcers was greatly felt. 1t was found
that for hasty substitutes schoolteach-
ers, foremen and similar minor lead
ers in various walks of civil life were
better than young college and society
men, who in addition to their military
ignorance, had had no experience in
han ding men who lacked the strength
of character to impose their will on
the men under them during the ter
rible stress Of battle.
The only proper method is care
fully to build up in peace time a large
corps of professional officers, each OF
whom has started in the lowest grade
and each Of whom has been first wei
trained as a private.
| Great enemy superiority in artil-
lery and machine guns prevented the
Rumanian infantry from making
| Roadway against the enemy infantry
though they were conscious Of being
| individually superior.
THE enemy also had a tremen-
dous superiority in the number of air
| planes, and this absolutely blinded the
Rumanians and contributed more thar
any other one factor Of their defeat
Air supremacy Is not only question
of a greater number Of machines thar
| the enemy, but also of constant i'm
Iprovement of type.
''In conclusion, I would emphasize
the fact that modern warfare demand.
more discipline than ever. Discipline
| is the soul Of an army. America has
no cause to fear militarism through
thorough preparation for war. Sh.
has France as an excellent model O.
a trained army in a democracy"