The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-04-21
regulars today TO perform the du-

to perform with the federalized Guard.
There are the men who will get COM
missions because they have passed or
will pass the examinations necessary
10 receive commissions in the officers
reserve CORDS.
Take them all together, still II will
be necessary TO find men Mt to COM
mand the forces of the United States,
green men or men who have received
at best only primary instruction in
the art OF war.
The understanding is today that
there are some 10000 or l2,UO men
who have passed or Who supposedly
can pass the somewhat rigid examina-
tons for commissions in the officers
reserve corps. The examinations for
the reserve corps are sutflclenuy
strict and comprehensive to make it
certain that no man who is not exceed
ingly Intelligent and more than fair
ly well informed can pass them.
Thousands Have Offered.
There will not be enough Of these re-
serve corps candidates TO meet the
governments need. There Is a provi-
sion Of the law, section % OF the act
approved June 3, 1916, which allows
the age limit 70 be waived and makes
provision for the appointment of COM
miSStoned officers who have seen serv-
ice or who have received military in
struction in schools and who are past
the age ordinarily fixed for commits
sionS In the various grades. How
many men over fOrty-fve years OF age
! the government will find physically MT
/ FOR commissions 1t is hard 10 say, but
/ IL is known definitely that thousands
! Of men who have commanded troops
/ or who have served long enough either
in the regular army or in the National
/ Guard 10 enable them with slight ad-
ditiOnal instruction TO enter the com
missioned ranks, already have offered
their services TO the military authori-
ties.
The United States government cap
get plenty of men willing TO be officers,
bur the question Is whether they will
be able TO meet quickly the require
ments of field duty. In other words.
while the soldiers are being trained in
foot movements. the manual Of arms,
extended order drill and battle maneu-
vers. will the newly appointed officers
have time 10 acquire that knowledge or
men and military affairs which is es-
sential not only TO the drilling and the
diSCiplining Of men, but TO the tax
ing care of them under all conditions
of field work?
This policy will involve the i'm
mediate full equipment of the navy
in all respects, but particularly In
supplying it with the best means OF
dealing with the enemy's submarines.
This statement in the presidents ad
dress To congress, Washington thinks
was significant of great things thai
must be done, of real master strategy
of great operations Of which perhaps
the nOnmilitary mind probably has NC
complete sense.
In another place in his address tC
congress the president said that the
practical duty of the United State:
would be:
ITO supply the nations already al
war with Germany with the materials
which they can obtain only from us oil
by our assistance. They are in the
field and we should help them in ever!
way TO be effective there"
The navy department has concern
ed itself with means TO make effective
these two plans to which Woodrow
Wilson gave public consideration II
his address and appeal to the law
makers of the United States.
Naval officers realize the intimate
connection between the two extract!
from the presidents address here
given. Our navy today is charged IL
part with the duty Of clearing the en-
emy's submarines from the depths ant
the surface Of the waters. 1t Is
huge job.
Navy Tackles a Big Task.
1t follows as a wake follows tor
pedo that If the navy Of the Unite'
States, added to the navies of Grea
Britain and France, cannot clear thu
waters Of enemy submarines, the la
Dor Of carrying out the second sugges
ton made In quotation from the presi
dents address will be so difficult o
accomplishment that the navy mind
II 1t were not a militant mind, nigh
stagger at it.
. Every department Of the govern
ment today is working to fulfill tn
terms Of the presidents word to con
gress to the effect that they wOul'
submit measures for the accomplish
ment Of the various war objects which
he had mentioned. One of the mail
things to be done, of course, is t
prepare this country, and today Their
are material evidences that the worl
of industrial and of army and nav,
preparedness, so far as 1t affects sup
plies and means to obtain them, is vel
in hand. This matter concerns itself
according TO the president, not onl,
with our own preparation, but witt
that for continuing TO supply the al
lied nations Of Europe with 'the ma
terial which they can obtain onl,
from us or by our assistance"
These materials for use abroad mus
he sent abroad The naval EXPERTS ar