New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-01
Our Military Problem

OuI Nlilllouy AOCi>
Hindenburg said last April that he saw
no need for Germany to fear America for
eighteen months. We scoffed at him. Our
genius would destroy the submarine. Ger
many would collapse when she realized we
we're against her. Our entry had won
the war.
But he was right He foresaw that even
though we might raise an army we could
rot train it in sufficient numbers before
that time, nor supply it; and that even
should we do this we could not transport
II. together with its supplies, within eigh-
teen months-especially so if the lntensi-
fed submarine campaign were kept up
He also knew, what has since been shown
TO us in many ways, that the Allies needed
our help, and needed it soon. Time, there
fore was a vital factor from the German
uoint Of view. for the more the Allies
needed our help the more it was to the
advantage of Germany that this help be
slow in arriving. Germany counted largely
on our inherent delay, owing TO our po-
ltical composition, and on the delay the
submarines and German agents could
cause us.
This is the first fundamental truth that
we must grasp-that time is more valuable
in our preparation than ever 1t was IN
business. and that every month taken on
from the period required to bring our full
oontingents to the stage where they are
rrenared to take their place on the front
means peace so much nearer and so many
human lives saved.
The Mace where time can and must be
saved is in the training of our troops. 10
do this we must face squarely certain ugly
facts.
This war, despite many worthy men OF
the regular army, is different IN methods
from other wars. While there may be
show of truth in the statement of one OF
the senior instructors in a reserve officers
training camp, that the present war holds
nothing that has not been known in other
wars. vet the combination Of these many
different things and the use of many newly
developed or newly revived weapons have
brought about what is virtually new type
of warfare. The proof of this lies in the
fact that our regular army, which we had
Leen led TO believe was the best, most up
1o-date army in the world, has had to spend
all the time since its arrival in France
NEARLY four months now relearning the
came from the bottom, officers as well as
men. Letters from France tell of our
troops reorganzed along the lines evolved
in the present war by the French army;
using hand grenades and other weapons
entirely new to them; living in trenches
such as they have never even imagined
N and learning to cooperate continually with
an artillery vastly greater in proportion
and importance than anything heretofore
known
This means, to put it badly, that not only
was the country not prepared for war, but
cur regular army, with its officers, fine
r,en though they are, was not prepared for
H. either. The blame is not theirs for
ttev have never had the chance to learn
the new warfare. But the fact remains
that practically all the officers Of all classes
regulars. National Guard and Reserve)
in this country at the present time are
completely unacquainted with the type OF
warfare their men will wage ON the
other side
However appalling this may sound, 1t Is
true. and the sooner this truth is recog-
nized the sooner shall we have a remedy.
Many people will say that the remedy Is
.imple-bring American officers back from
France, fresh from experience IN the
trenches. This is admirable in theory. In
fact, it will be the ultimate and ideal solu-
ton. But at present, and for many months
ia come. there are not enough officers who
can be spared from their work in France
10 return TO this country to have an appre-
ciable influence on the training Of many
hundred thousand men.
The next best solution, all will admit, Is
&c send the troops over TO be trained IN
France. This, too, is fine in theory. But
we have not the ships. We can send over
only a small number Of troops at time
From all indications it will be six months
before the last Of the former National
Cuard has been sent. And as the Germans