The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-24
Failure of Old System Was a
Tragedy in England.
Blood and Industries Sacrificed
by Experiment.
SAVED BY UNIVERSAL SERVICE
General Bridges of British
Commission Discusses 1t.
Error in Sending Trained Off
GERS Abroad Too Soon.

Washington, April 24.-Lieutenant
General Bridges, a member of the
British commission, declared here to-
day in a talk with newspaper corre-
spondents that the British democracy
had become almost fanatical" over
universal military service. The voiun-
teer system under which the empire
entered the war, General Bridges said,
has cost the lives of the most valuable
citizens, crippled industrial mobiliza-
ton and immeasurably set back Eng
lands efforts in the war.
WAR is no longer a war of ex-
petitions but is a case of nation
against nation. Men, women and chill
dren are equally drawn into its vortex,
the women and children being forced
into industry and fed on half rations
in order to supply the men at the
front. War has become an immense
ly democratic business and needs the
full effort of every member of the
community, directed along the lines
most necessary to be served
Peace to War, Big Problem.
General Bridges, while unwilling to
be drawn into a discussion of specific
American questions talked most freely
of the difficulties which had beset
England when at the beginning of the
war she converted herself from a
peace to a war basis and began the
immense increase of her army from a
small force to one of the largest in
Europe.
The source of our greatest diff
Guilty" said General Bridges, was the
sending to Europe practically our
whole trained army as an expedition
ary force. This robbed US of all train
it was only thru recently returned
wounded officers and the withdrawal
of others that we were able to build
the skeleton for our new forces. At
the same time we allowed most of our
better class youths, university men in
many cases, to enter the ranks which
withdrew them from the officers class
and placed the responsibility on far
less well equipped persons. The
wastage of the best blood of the ma
ton was enormous.
Eight Months 10 Train a Division.
1T is my opinion that if it had not
been for Kitchener's immense person
ality we should nave had conscription
within a few months. If Lord Rob-
erts's proposal for universal service
had been enforced we should have
saved enormously, not only in men
but in Industrial efficiency The great
majority of army officers would have
done anything to have gotten rid of
the volunteer system with which the
country was at first saddled.
General Bridges estimated eight
months as the necessary time to train
a division. Individual recruits, how
ever may be made fit to go to the
front in short space of eleven weeks,
provided they are distributed in pro-
portions of fifty amongst two hundred
trained men. War service is at least
five times as valuable a training as
peace service is estimated.
Artillery must be in great prepon-
derance before an attack can be mi
tiated. The bayonet, however, is still
essential to finally rout the enemy
from his trenches. 1 should estimate
that the present successes on the west
ern front are due to a British prepon-
derance over the German artillery of
a least three or four to one. There is
absolutely no doubt as to the outcome
of the war, the only question is as to
it's length
Praises French Army.
General Bridges commented briefly
on the difficulties of making good
fighters in a democratic nation full of
personal freedom and lacking military
experience The French bOurgers in
the generals opinion make the ideal
soldiers because war has been almost
instinct in his blood since the days of
Napoleon. General Bridges praised
the French army in the highest terms
and said that there had grown up be-
tween France and England. former
enemies a feeling that was more than
friendship and that was almost a love
match General Bridges will consult
with all American army officers and
has a mass of detailed information to
place at their disposal. 1t is possible
he NAV also meet the military commit
tees of congress.