The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-04-25
BRITISH OFFICER
ARGUES AGAINST
VOLUNTEER ARMY

washington, April 24.-ieut. Gen.
Bridges, a member of the British
commission, declared here today in a
talk with newspaper correspondents
that the British democracy had be-
come almost fanaticaP' over univer-
sal military service. The volunteer
system under which the empire en-
tered the war, Gen. Bridges said, has
cost the lives Of the most valuable
citizens, crippled industrial mobiliza-
ton and immeasurably set back Eng
lands efforts INF the war.
War said Gen. Bridges, 'fs no
longer war of expeditions, but is
a case Of nation against nation. Men,
women and children are equally
drawn into it's vortex, the women ad
children being forced into industry
and fed on half rations in order to
supply the men at the front. War
has become an immensely democrat
ic business and needs the full efforts
Of every member Of the community,
directed along the lines most necessary
to be served"
Gen. Bridges, while unwilling to be
drawn into a discussion of specific
American questions, talked freely Of
the difficulties which had beset Eng
land, when at the beginning Of the
war she converted herself from a
peace to war basis and began the
immense increase of her army from
a small force to one of the largest
in Europe.
1.-THE sources of our great difficul-
ty" said Gen Bridges, twas the send
ing ito Europe of practically our
whole trained army as an expedition
airy force. This robbed us Of all
training officers for our new armies,
and it was only through returned
wounded officers and the with drawa1
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
any cases, to enter the ranks, which
withdrew them from the officer class
and placed that responsibility on far
less well equipped persons. The
wastage of the best blood of the ma
was enormous.
yeti Is my opinion that If It had not
been for -Kltchenef's immense per-
sona1ity we should have had con-
scrip within a few months. If Lord
Roberts proposal for universal SER
vice 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 sad
died."
Gen. Bridges estimated eight
months as the necessary time to train
q division. Individual recruits, how
ever. may be made fit to go to the
front in a short space Of II weeks,
provided they are distributed in pro-
portions Of so among 200 trained
men. War service is at least five
times as valuable training as peace
service, he estimated. III
ARTILLERY must be In great pre-
ponderance." Gen. Bridges said. ''be-
fore an attack can be begun. The
bayonet, however. is still essential to
finally rout the enemy from his
trenches I should estimate that the
present successes on the western
front are due to a British prepon-
derance over the German artillery Of
at least three or four to one. There
Is absolutely no doubt as to the OUT
come OF the war; the only question is
as to its length"
Gen. Bridges commented briefly on
the difficulties Of making good fight
ers In democratic nation full OF per-
sonal freedom and lacking military ex-
perience. The French bourgeois, in
the generals opinion makes the ideal
soldier because war has been almost
an instinct in his blood since the days
OF Napoleon. Gen. Bridges praised
the French army in the highest terms
and said that there had grown UP
between France and England, former
enemies, q feeling that was more than
friendship, and that was almost q
love match.
Gen. Bridges will consult with all
American army officers and has
mass OF detailed Information to place
at their disposal It 1t possible that
he may also meet the military COM
n1ittees of congress.