New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-09
GENERAL O'RYAN'S OPTIMISM
M Rich, 70 Exist Questioned by Critic of the
States Rights and Bunk

in ante Of the hardshps on individuals eh,aheo'
The fact that many individuals desired 10 w
Ieased ON account OF the losses Of position ano
...,,ni.,v .acriaces which their military service
,nono4ed uoon them Is less criticism OF the III
dIyiduaI than T. Is of the voluntary plan OF nih-
tary service.
As 10 the present degree Of read.?ess ana h'ns''
for field service OF organizations OF ih'"nlry; ~.
answer in 80 per cent Of the reports was sl'ner
Fair" poor" untitled" mot ready wnoily
unprepared" or the like: forty-six reports OUT OIL
no aid that under the most favorable conditlohs
I, would require six months in the held 10 nav
the regiment meet an inferior enemy, ana TWO
wears 20 meet trained troops ten reports SA'ea
that Il was doubtful II organizations inspe0@u
would ever become efficient under their present
officers III
or IN. cavalry, one-third Of the reports ind-
Gated that IL would require from six TO nine
months to make the organizations mt Tor service
against an inferior enemy. and approximately from
two 10 three years against trained troops In si1
other reports four to six months was considered
the time needed 10 make them ready for active
service.
In the field artillery there were thirty inspec-
tions-six OF regiments. eight OF battalions ana
sixteen OF separate batteries. In seventeen the
organizations we're reported as unfit for field SER
vice.
Support Of Engineers
II Is believed that the greatest step toward Sc
curing a reliable engineering National Guard torce
IS 20 get the engineering profession IN eaeh large
city behind its local organization. The sat''fac-
tory showing made by Company y, Pennsyvama
Engineers. Mt this mobilization demonstrates the
value OF such support, for il was organized from
members Of the Engineers Club. OF Philadelphia
and has had the recognition and support OF that
society.
None OF the engineer organizations was re-
ported as AZ for field service. One Of the greatest
defects noticed was the lack Of training in mounted
work: this is accounted for by lack OF FUNDS tor
supplying the necessary facilities for training IN
peace time Generally speaking, the enlisted per-
sonnet was good material for engineering require
ments.
An examination OF the field inspection reports
OF tgenty-four field companies, signal troops Of
the National Guard. two months or more aiter
muster into the service Of the United States. dis
closes the fact that not Of these organizations
was considered ready and 1T for field service az
the dates Of inspection. The average length OF
time considered necessary 20 make the companies
efficient at war strength in campaign was hve
additional months of training under regular army
officers as instructors.
In the course Of his letter General Organ
reats us to this rare bit of humor:
As TO the first of these points. the new national
defence act copied the German army system OF
providing for a safe check against possible mill
tary usurpation by vesting in the states the right
10 nominate for tina. is all IL amounts to- the
officers subject to qualifications prescribed by the
central government. IL is not generally known,
but IL is the fact that in the German army the
officers are largely appointed by the German states,
subject however TO meeting the imperial qualifics-
tons. Under such system the interests Of military
efficiency are safegusrded 10 the limit but the
- h. ~ off
by central power and in pursuance Of an un-
worthy motive is prevented.
Nobody quite so Trustworthy and virtuous
IS the state politicians. 1t is only by the
,elf- abnegaton Of these state politicians that
ne appointments of militia officers are kept
IN so high plane as compared with those
# the army or navy, which are presumably
prone 10 be made Gin pursuance of unworthy
motive" This also accounts for the wonder
ul fidelity and efficiency shown by militia
ulcers as compared with army or navy Off
.ers Great is bunk and Organ is his
prophet!
Case of Special Pleading
His plea about the dual relationship of the
tizen to the state and to the United States
5 the same sort Of special pleading as the
remainder of the letter. He omits TO OBJ
erve that no administrative officers of the
federal government, except the militia, are
ppointed by any power other than the Fed
raj government. II they were that branch
If the Federal service would be on a par
With the militia, if the state still retained
control over them.
In the second place no citizen, because Of
lis obligation to the state, can shield him
ef from paying Federal taxes or from the
operation of Federal laws The Federal gov
,rnment doesn't deal with his Governor about
aim; it deals directly with him.
The system of handling such things through
he states was tried during the seven mis-
rable years of our Articles Of Confederation
,ut with the adoption of the Constitution all
uch inefficient, disintegrating and trouble
breeding ideas were cast aside, except the
militia system, thanks to the necessity those
ramers of the Constitution who stood for
rational union were under to compromise
With the little army and states rights men Of
heir day. They were able, however, 70 give
he Federal government, by the Constitution,
he broadest powers for raising and sup
,orting armies completely under Federal
ontrol, but General Organ does not wish 10
ee these powers exercised. He is "irre-
trainably optimistic" over the militia sys-
EN-, which has just cost the Federal govern
nent an additional hundred millions Of dol
ars. to say nothing Of what il has cost the
tates. BYSTANDER.
New York, Jan. 4, 1917