The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-01-30


come your return. Your places in
their hearts and lives, and in he
life of the community are open TO you
step in and continue to 10 your
dutyi
Happily introduced by thu chair.
Captain McRoberts, on behalf Of the
Company made a feeling and peril
nent response. lie thanked tic peo-
pie OF Twin Falls and vicinity for the
interest shown in the past, and espe-
cially for the Company ID Association,
and the funds it placed at their dis
posal-Only one call upon which, he
said had been necessary. He gave APP
preciative thanks for the welcoming
courtesy now shown; and, noting the
burden placed upon Company Com
mander who is known and held to no
small degree of responsibility Ivy the
parents and friends of his men. he
voiced the great pleasure and salts
faction he felt in bringing back TO
Twin Falls each and every man who
left with him, in every way. stronger
and better than they then were.
The chairman then called upon Lieu
tenant Krengel, as one who mad been
delegated to describe in some degree.
the eXigencies and conditions of the
United States army generally and of
the National Guards service on the
border in particular. Lieutenant
Krengel's address was the result Of
close observation and careful thought
and of much interest He spoke sub
atantially as follows:
Friends and Members of Company
D:
Public speaking being out of my
line, / can only ask your attention
to some data gathered from reliable
publications and some observations
made myself on the border.
Once in a while we can agree with
Josephus Daniels in his recent report
to Congress. He deplOres the ten
dency of our people to think all is
we'll with the defenses of our country,
Just because unheard of sums have
been appropriated by Congress to that
end What we read, think and talk
about today we forget tomorrow. In
1914 a majority of our politicians and
public speakers were for unprepared-
ness. In 1915 the public view was
sufficiently changed so that our lead
ers were clamoring for seats in the
Preparedness Wagon" Today peO-
pie fail to realize the crisis in our
national history that we are facing.
When we remember the prepared
ness parades of last year and the eX-
element approaching histeria which
reached a climax with President Will
sons biggest navy in the world"
speech at Kansas City, it is hard to
! believe that the country is actually
i'm more defenseless state today than
! it was two years ago. Under the new
| Defense Act which went into effect
the first of last July, the regular army
was to be increased twelve regiments
annually for five consecutive years.
Today the regular army is short be-
tween 1900 and $4,000 men and 1900
officers. Thus, although a campaign
of recruiting has been pushed to the
uttermost-offices being opened in
every town and village and an almost
house to house canvass being made in
many localities-so few recruits have
/ responded to the effort that the cost
of every recruit obtained is actually
more than his first years salary
would be- On the first day of next
July, instead of being increased by
ten regiments, the United States army
/ VIII be short at least 10000 men and
about 1000 officers, unless a radical
change is experienced. The attempt
of Congress to increase the regular
army has failed because the men re-
fuse to enlist Had the Act of Con-
/ gress increased the army to million
men, the result would be precisely
the same 100000 in round numbers
We simply cannot hire enough men al
the wages now offered.
This new Defense Act also effects
the National Guard of Idaho as well
as other states. Under it we must &c
into training camp next July with
500 enlisted men, and one year later
with 1900 men and so on until We
have 5000 men. Friends, this means
that in time of Peace our citizens
must face a draft law. The Nationa,
Guard is serving its purpose and as
is it at present all that we have, we
must be loyal to it, and if necessary
to again go to the Mexican border OF
elsewhere-we shall do our duty.
1t would have been criminal to have
sent our present National GuarC
across the border when first called
out It is impossible to give men a few