The Brinkley argus. (Brinkley, Ark.) 1883-current, 1917-05-04

! capture of Burgoyne at Saratoga, and
the capture of CORVALLIS at Yorktown,
the latter event made possible only
by the cooperation of French army
and a French fleet!
| 1t is a far cry from the days of the
Revolution to this day, but-just as it
was done then-eminent civilians in
| legislative halls can substitute their
own imperfect conclusions for the
| judgment of men of military knowl-
edge and wisdom, and by doing so may
decree their countrymen to needless
death and their nation to years of war.
In the War of 1912
The volunteer system failed in the
War OF 1912 even more signally than
in previous years. Great Britain had in
Canada at the declaration of war 1880
effective troops; our standing army
was 6,744 strong, and widely scatter
ed. Congress had authorized an army
of $4,000 six months before, but the
measure did not succeed. We were
unable therefore to take advantage
Of the enemy's weakness. Adequately
prepared, we could have ended the
war in one campaign of six months
against so small a force. In theory
and in legislative action we had abun-
dant troops, but in reality we had no.
thing
The militia ingloriously surrendered
at Detroit; 1000 suddenly broke into a
panic at the sight of prairie fire in
the West and rushed home in disor-
der; and Gen. William Henry Har-
rison's army of 10000 was ineffective
and rebellious.
On the Niagara frontier a few regu-
lars and militia crossed to Queens
town, drove the British out, and later
lost the battle because the rest of the
militiamen refused to go out of the
State.
In 1872 we had $4,000 soldiers"
under pay. while the British had but
1000 men in upper Canada. The
American loss in killed, wounded and
prisoners in the various actions of the
year was about 1900, almost two vic
tins for every one of the enemy in
upper Canada!
The disgraceful failures at the be-
ginning of the war were added to and
eliminated in the capture and burn
ing of the capitol at Washington in
1914, after force of militia supposed
from its numbers to be adequate, had
fed before the invaders.
tho ictoloo If fho povp1utiOp
had been repeated, and new mistakes
were made in the conduct Of the
struggle in 1872.
The System Was Wrong
Civilian judgment In military mat
ters had once more prolonged a war
lost an opportunity, and ignorantly
sent many men to their death.
Throughout the War Of 1912 we en-
ployed from beginning to end 527,654
troops to cope with the enemy's force
of less than $500 men for two and
one-half years;
The United States can never main
tain its place in the sun by relying
upon volunteers. Now it is at war
with nations who know that the vol
unteer system is a dangerous and
fanciful policy. We must meet them
with a system as good as their own.
Lessons From Civil War
The volunteer system failed in the
Civil War and prolonged that struggle.
Upton declares that if the Government
had had 10000 regulars at the first
battle of Bull Run the Rebellion would
have ended with that battle-there
would have been no four years OF
Civil War. Instead the Federal Gov
eminent had 2S,56S raw troops, men
enlisted for 80 days, who were sent
into battle because the North desired
to get some service out OF them before
they were disbanded!
Upton makes no criticism against
/ the valor of the individual volunteer
but against a system which wasted
/ lives of men whose personal bravery
and patriotism is unsurpassed.
The bounty which rose to its great
est height during the Civil War testi-
fes in another way to the failure OF
the volunteer system. It sprang from
policy that was organically wrong in
! that II failed to impose military duty
equtably upon all men Of military age.
/ The volunteer system compelled the
patriotic man to sacrifice his time for
the benefit Of others no more liable to
I service than himself and It put the
I government in the position OF pur-
chasing what It has always had the
right to demand