New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-19
Unpleasant Truths
trailers.

Secretary Bakers admission that the
first 100000 men to be raised by the draft
will not be called out until September l
comedies with the collapse of the Admins
tration's press muzzling scheme. With no
check on the truth telling activities of the
newspapers, the unpleasant facts in regard
to our military unreadiness are sure to
come out. Mr.. Baker evidently realizes this.
Hence his apologize announcement that
because of the lack of military supplies it
will be useless to begin organizing the first
conscript army before next fall.
The language of the Secretary's note to
Senator Jones is somewhat confusing. He
speaks of ''the depleted state of our sup
plies" How have these been "depleted"?
How has it been possible to "deplete" non
existent supplies? We faced the prob
ability of war with Germany for more
than two years before the declaration of
war came. The first submarine warfare
note sent to Berlin-that of February 10,
1915-contained a threat of war. For
eight months we were practically at war
with Mexico and had modified an army
of $50, 900 men on the Mexican border. We
had every reason for piling up reserves of
military supplies. Is the country to dis
cover only nova month and half after
war with Germany has begun-how dere-
lict the government has been in the essen
tials of military preparation?
About four weeks ago "The Army and
Navy Journal" in an article highly prais
ing Mr.. Baker as military organizer,
made this cheering announcement:
at is now possible to confirm official
" our statement of fortnight ago that
all the necessary supplies for an army
of 100000, to all intents and purposes,
are 'on hand This applies to every
detail of the soldiers equipment and to
that of the larger units, with the excep-
ton of heavy ordnance and machine
guns"
The natural impression made by this
statement was that equipment sufficient
for force of 100000 new soldiers was
available. Congress had authorized in
June, 1916, an increase of the regular
army to $50, 1000 in case of war and an in
crease of the state militia to over 100000.
Some 100000 regulars and militia were
already under arms. Did Mr.. Bakers
eulogist merely mean that there was equip
ment for 100000 soldiers all told, includ-
ing that in use by the 100000 troops act
ually organized? If he did, the War De-
partment, instead of anticipating known
requirements, was actually running 40 per
cent short of them. The government had
tied itself up to a policy not of intelligent
preparation but Of bungling delay.
Our new armies will lack field ordnance,
heavy ordnance, machine guns and rifles.
Any American troops which 80 abroad this
year will have to depend on French or
British artillery and be equipped with
British model rifles and ammunition. We
ere also short Of fighting and scouting air
planes. We are rich in men, but poor all
along the line in material.
Yet it is better that we should know the
I'bald truth about our deficiencies, so that
they may be made up for by vigorous
national effort-thc sort Of effort which
has not yet been made in our prepara-
tons for war.
1t is evidently the governments pur-
pose now 10 try to recruit the regular
forces and the National Guard to war
strength before calling out the conscripts.
Volunteering will have precedence over