Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-05-09
SHALL WE ACT ON
J0FFRE'S ADVICE
BY Kenneth MaepouoaII

Field Marshal Joffre. His statements
that long training of American troops
here before sending them 10 the
front is unnecessary are evidently in
spired by his realization of the de-
fects OF our present military estab-
| lishment. They are in direct contrast
to the views held by our general
stan. which opens up the question:
Are American methods of military
training obsolete?
1t begins to look very much as IL
they were. The crying need in this
country at the present time is Of
ficers. Our millions of men made
available by draft arc useless unless
there are officers to teach them at
least the rudiments of military drill
| France, on the other hand, probably
has more officers per thousand men
than any other nation in the world.
Marshal Joffre's idea of sending
American troops to France to be
trained there, back of the fighting
line, by French and British officers,
is 1000 LOT lnOuSnI.
Such training. according to his fig
ures, would fit our militia and regu-
lar army for active service within
six weeks from the time of their ar
rival.
! The day of the pretty military for.
nation has passed. The simple school
OF the soldier in which is taught
squad formation, followed by the
squads relation to the company and
backed by the knowledge of the rifle,
is all that men in good physical
training need for the present type of
) warfare.
There is no army in the world as
democratic as the French. Officers of
the old school. who were gods of
discipline, are no longer. popular. Of
ficers and men have but one thought
France. They are fighting as a
business. and any good business is
better of for the cooperation of en-
ployer and employc.
Thus the present war has in mea-
sure abolished the need for men
trained years in the difficult evolu.
tons of the old military system. The
new system does not call for any
thing but the rudimentary knowledge
of soldering. Then comes the period
in reserve back of the front. Men
are keyed up and made to realize that
war is not the romantic display of
the past. 1t Is the long, hard wait
ing game broken at times by vicious
lungc and counter attack.
Here men find that IL is more or
less up to themselves to lessen the
chases of death by exercising care,
not to needlessly expose themselves to
danger.
; II has already been pointed out
that in case we do send an army
abroad in the near future we will
have 10 use the British army rife be-
! cause of manufacturing conditions.
, We will have to strain every resource
TO properly equip our troops; yet, once
; equipped, they can be trained in
. shorter time under actual war con-
, ultlOnS III france.
; What officers we have need war
. experience. Most OF these, even in
the regular army, have never been in
action. They do not realize what
they are up against, that modern
warfare is absolutely a contradiction
to the teachings of the past.
Our own general stan Is not above
! par as set by the present conflict
They are still figuring as of yore,
and with few exceptions are men OF
the old school.
. Their chief objection against an
. early expcditionary force is the fact
that each trained man sent abroad
! will deprive us of from one to two
! hundred trained men inside of two
|. years.
Z The establishment OF officers train
! ing camps shows they believe they
can At candidates in three months
Z intensive training to command Other
; men. II this Is possible, why is II moi
also possible TO train recruits up Il
n stage where they can be finished
= off by veteran French or British of
8 ficers in like period of time?
Z France has offered us the valuable
help Of her officers. That knocks thu
s pins from under the war department
Z theory of not enough officers to star
7 training. 1t also opens up the wa!
! for observation of real warfare while
q undergoing the finishing touches o.
& training. 1t will harden men muci
Z quicker. because they have Tho
8 added interest developed by the real
s ization that they, too, must soon taxi
+ their place beside their allies ut tn
(! front.
: II will also awaken the nation to
} full realization OF the fact that Amer
Z lea Is in the war, and in to win.
1 the nation rs whole knew just hoy
sorely put France is at the presen
I time. think all hesitancy would b
& wiped away in flash.