New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-05
Now for a Real Army

seize the opportunity WHICH Hao Ho" NNiiN
to them to create a real army. Necessity
is q master educator. Under It's spur IL
will be easy for us to do now what we
have never had the foresight, energy and
resolution TO do so long as some immediate
and unavoidable compulsion to do 1t was
lacking.
We have tried to get along with small
professional army-an army of merce-
naries-supplemented in time of war by
volunteers or leyies of unframed militia.
That system has failed miserably in every
war in which we depended upon it. 1t has
been inordnately wasteful, prolonging our
wars and making them cost in lives and
money ten, twenty, perhaps even fifty
times what they should have cost
There may have been some excuse for
our amateurish and happy go-lucky mill
tary policy when we were poor, morgan
lied. isolated nation, with the traditions OF
frontier life not yet outgrown. But there
is no excuse for il to-day. Our lamenta-
bic experience in the war with Spain
should have sufficed to persuade us to put
away forever the vicious theories on which
we had based our military organization.
We would not learn anything, however,
from the military fiasco of 1898. We en-
larged our regular army (insufciently If
we intended to use it as a real army and
changed somewhat the organization of the
state militia forces subject to Federal call.
But we continued to follow the same mill
tary delusions-a course whose folly was
demonstrated afresh last year when we
were obliged to undertake at an inordi-
nate cost to defend our Southern border
against the petty incursions of Mexican
guerillas.
Congress will undoubtedly now author
ize the President to recruit large armies.
Having no other machinery at hand, 1t
will probably be compelled to resort again
to the antiquated method of calling for
volunteers. Troops arc needed at once,
and a first call cannot we'll be delayed
until after Congress has reorganized and
modernized our military system. 1t may
be possible to get together very quickly an
army of 10000 men by amalgamating the
state Guards with the regular army and
either recruiting the Guards to war
strength or organizing directly without
state intervention several divisions of
United States volunteers.
Great Britain, whose military system
prior to 1914 was nearly as obsolete as
ours. raised her first Kitchener armies
through volunteering. But she soon found
that the volunteer system was inequitable
and undemocratic. 1t forced burdens on
one element of the population-the more
willing and patriotic-which ought to be
borne by all elements. 1t created highly
justifable discomfort. 1t was hindrance
to that national unity of feeling and effort
which state of war ought to foster. So
Great Britain finally came to CONSUMPTION,
in spite of the shock to British ideas in
yolved in compulsory military service.
We do not have 10 overcome any similar
fixed prejudices in applying CONSUMPTION.
For we used the system 10 some extent in
our Civil War, and under the present mill
tary laws all able-bodied male citizens are
are subject to military service if called on.
Though in this emergency we may raise
10000 men-or even more-under the
volunteer system, it would be wise for
Congress to lay at once the foundations
for a genuinely national military struct-
ure. The derelict system which survived
the war with Spain cannot possibly sur
vive another war. 1t ought to have been
abandoned long ago.
II we are involved in hostilities with
Germany, we cannot honorably dodge do
ing all that it is possible for US to do in
order to establish the principles for which
we fight We must look forward TO a real
war. We must raise armies large enough
10 represent our available military
strength. The minimum should certainly
not be less than 100000 to 100000 men.
But il we are going to put armies Of that
size in the field it would be folly not to
make them truly representative Of the ma
ton, and not 10 use in filling their ranks
the material most fitted for active service
choosing the men Of the classes best
qualified for the first line.
This can be done only through impair
tial CONSUMPTION. And when the nation
once becomes accustomed 10 universal SER
Hce-once recognizes its great economic
a. well as military advantages--it will
never consent to return 10 the present hap
hazard order--the incongruous mixture Of
a professional soldiery with unsolicited
volunteer militia Of all ages and all de-
grees OF training.
No one can imagine Great Britain going
back 10 the old system Of mercenaries and
territorials. so we shall be amazed, when
we get "a real army, that we ever put up
Nth the cztravsgantly expensive and