The evening leader. (Tarpon Springs, Fla.) 191?-19??, 1917-04-20
GOOD LEADERSHIP.

GOOD LEADERSHIP.
More comfortable to good Americans
than the news of allied victory is the
attitude of the administration toward
the problem of creating an army. The
first battle for the United States is
going to be fought against Won Dent
and his colleagues and there is every
indication that the president intends
to defeat them. When the house of
representatives hesitated over the con-
scription plan the president called in
the republican minority leader. He
also set the senate working at the
bill. He has not accepted defeat at
the hands of those congressman who
are in effect at least allies of the kai-
ser.
1t is this battle which is going to de-
eide the war. If congress permits the
proper organization of American fore
es America is the strongest nation in
the world. 1t will be the strongest
force for right and for democracy in
the world. Pacifst congressman take
upon themselves terrible response
lidlity if they refuse the administra,
TONS leadership at this time.
There are many indications that the
leadership is going to be good. Secre-
tary Bakers decision not to encourage
Xhe formation of new national quart
regiments shows determination to go
: at the task of making an army in a
businesslike way. He has turned his
back on the tempting and traditional
volunteer way. r.
d. Every war stimulates a lot of patri
otto men, fairly successful in their
local affairs, to recruit new regiments
and offer them to the government.
Experience has shown this country
that this is a bad method of raising
an army. Men become officers who
have few qualifications for leadership
in war because they understand how
to get men to enlist. When the troops
get into camp they suffer from ignor-
ance. The officers are green and the
men are green. The progress of their.
education is slow and painful. Men
die in insanitary camps and if they get
into battle they are often killed unne-
cessarily.
In setting his face against repeti-
tion Of our former disastrous exper-
fences with brand new organizations
Secretary Baker may be cooling pa
triotic ardor, but he is saving time and
lives.
At this time there is especially little
reason for organizing new national
guard regiments. The existing organ
izations, most of which received valu-
able training on the Mexican border
last summer, are not full. Their Off
GERS are better than green officers can
be. Their men can teach recruits. Nor
is the regular army nearly full. There
the volunteers would receive the best
training it is possible to give in this
country. The officers are carefully
trained and the men are veterans Of
military life.
Nrhere will be, of course, great need
of officers. But we have already in
the officers reserve corps a means Of
getting better officers than can be OBJ
tanned by the new organization meth
cd. Political reasons often dictate an
officers appointment in a new militia
unit. The officers reserve corps is
chosen by better system. The appli-
cants take examinations, physical and
mental. Those that have not served
with troops will doubteless be required
TO enlist and serve in the ranks before
they are given command of troops.
Green troops in charge of green off
GERS suffer horribly and accomplish
nothing.
Secretary Baker seems to under
stand the dangers and the weaknesses
of our traditional method of raising
armies. The country will reap divi-
dends in lives spared by disease and
by bullets Chicago Tribune.