Arizona republican., 1917-01-18


people had the same feeling in 1861
there would be no United States of
America such as we now have
Military experts? What are they?
AssuredlN we have none. They are
developed by great wars None of the
supposed military experts that were
in command at the beginning of the
/ war in Europe are still in command
except those of Germany who were
developed by the Franco Prussian
war. The military experts of the pres
ent war are now men mostly unheard
of until recently. because nothing bur
war makes soldier and military ex-
perts are the post graduates. The
/ colonial officers whose military ex-
perlcnceS were gained in little Skin
mlshes have not proven to be military.
experts and those officers had the
same experience that any of ours have
mad. The very fact that the general
staff makes an estimate of a halt
million men. as the proper number
Tor first line troops a year ago, and
today recommends a million and a
half should make us wonder if this is
expert opinion that can so radically
change in one short year
The very fault you quote namely:
EVERY time | tried to run down a
fault found some man doing his oest.
End usually good pest, Under sys-
TEN that left almost everything I'M
done until the last minute, and that
thrust np6n officers who had not
been able TO get experience tasks that
the most experienced officers would
nave FOUND t difficult 20 perform, vas
not the fault of the guard. but of the
military experts who had provided nj
stable plan for mobilization or rather
VINO mad provided no plan. Even the
mastering officers had had little or
no experience or instruction in their
duties.
Il do not understand how YOU ar
rived at your conclusions about the
number of guardsmen who did not
serve nor where YOU secured YOUR
figures. They are not correct But
if the rational guard was not brought
up to war strength, remember that
the regular army was not brought up
10 peace strength. And remember
that the gCardsmen did not enlist to
DO police duty for the regular army
but did enlist to defend his country
in time of war. Ordering the naVa,
militia on duty for six months to
Keep Canadian fishermen from fishing
on the American side of the lakes.
would ruin the naval militia and is a
faH comparison Cf the work the euarf
has teen required to do.
Inc states were required to have
on nand the equipment for peace
strength, il is true, but the funds
were to be supplied by the federal
governments The funds were not sup
Piled and the federal government did
not have on hand sufficient amount
OF equipment either before or after.
the mobilization. Was this the fault
of the guard? The serviceabiIity'
settlement Of the mastering officers is
misleading to a civilian. They marked
as 'uEserviceable" practically all
aruc'eS worn. In other words. a uni
10Y m that could be worn by the mar
possessing t was "unserviceable'' be-
cause il was not ''servicea BILE" for is
sue to another man. The fact that tha
states were required to submit reuIi-
sltlons Tor equipment short has been
lahen by you to mean that the fedora,
government would supply the equip
ment. Nothing Of the kind was in
tended. The federal government pro
Vided insufficient funds and no prop.
erty was issued over the amount of
allotment. The regulation YOU refer to
was one OF the double edged regula-
tons that have been so common In
erect 1t was as follows:
states would submit reolisitions
Tor the proper equipment tit would
not be Issued, however, if it exceeded
the amount of the allotment)
States that did not have the prcpe,
equipment on hand at. the next an
nual inspection would not receive any
more allotments with which to buy
the missing equipment.)
TO him that hath shall be given
aro to him that hath not shall be taxi
en- away, even that he hath
as guar5sman, | know of the
1eiiciencies of the guard nor am I
puma 10 those of the army. For the
money expended for what we NAV
reasonably expect of them, the COM
parlson is favorable to neither organi-
zatlon- Both are below the number
VI men required. The officers of
neither organization have the train
ing they should have Both branches
Of our service are not what thew
should De and we need an entirely new
system. This republic needs some
.hlhg better than it has but the guard
10 IT'S Soed % you will get as a s..cuno
~ ouI present regular army. Always
Keep IN mind the fact that the army
mas had more and more control over
.re guard ever since the passage OF
the DICK BIZ pat the amy ca !.
DIANE none of its deficiencies to the.
guard me voluntary system of So
cuIlng cificers and men is a. failure
m both the guard and the army.
~ Is not probable tcat a plan de-
vised as you suggest by military ex-
perts whose knowledge and experience
are at the disposal of congress would
meet that other requirement of your
| recommendation to work out the de-
'ails of plan that will accord with
| the ideals of American democracy
| SINCE the plan of a military expert is
| aiteconcliably opposed 70 the ideals of
american democracy" A good board
OF intelligent business men with all
the tacts laid before them, from their
| very business training, would be able
20 work out a better plan for organi-
zation, since they know the economic
conditions the plans must meet to be
feasible These conditions no army