The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-12-26
UNLESS HE 10 FOUND, VICTORY
WILL BE LONG DEFERRED,
SAY ARMY OFFICERS.
MAY BE IN AMERICAN CAMP
In Our Army and Navy Colleges, as In
Those Of Other Nations, the War
Game Has Been Played for
Many Years.
BY EDWARD q. CLARK.

hAAse NkNNVAJ AoA lhC liz puN lANAS |
are plenty of officers who believe that
success long must be deferred unless
scattered strategy shall become con-
centrated strategy, and that quickly.
W~ashington's sold1ery and particu-
larry that part Of 1t which constitutes
the war Office, wants an anwer to this
question:
"Who is the master of grand strategy
to make the plan and point the way
to victory for the alliesf"
American army officers believe, and
the thought also possesses the brains
and breasts of officers of the allies,
that somewhere today there is n man
who i'm the future will be hailed ;s
the savior OF democracy. Where Is
he and who Is he? The answer may
come shortly.
For years the officers attached to
the war colleges Of the army and navy
have studied strategy. Wars have
been fought on paper In the big build
ing on the engineers reservation in
this city and in the other big build
Ing of the navy near Newport, II. l.,
Win tNtIN DoWtI Ou II "iiNh "a
lay claim to military strength in what
ever degree.
"strategos" Played for Years.
II has been the business of the war
college TO play the game which in the
old days was called 'strategos.' The
game was played by the older army Of
ficers when they were cadets at West
Point, played In its original and more
simple form because In these days war
had not assumed the character which
II has taken or today.
An ampliied, extended and re-en-
forced "strategos" has been the war
game as played on the tables of the
war colleges of every country for the
past ten years. Germany was fought
on sea and on land by American Of
fcers of the army and navy before
the kaiser let loose his devil ~legions In
1914.
England has been fought on land
and on sen by officers of the American
army attending as students the war
college of their country. So has France
been fought, Russia too, Italy too, and
Japan and other nations even down
to those which I'm few conceivable cir
cumstances could make their martial
strength felt in battle On land or on
water.
What was lone In the American war
! colleges of the army and navy was
, done also in the war colleges of all
the allied countries, and of Germany,
. -
Austria and Turkey.
The one outstanding reason why SOL
I diers of the American army are not
ready to admit that the German stu
dents Of actual warfare We're more
apt than themselves Is that Germany
was prepared for wal to the last pitch
of high degree, a condition which did
not hold In any other country of the
world. Therefore, Germany had profit
ed by its material and its %concentra-
: ton of men rather than by any mental,
strategical gift denied to soldiers Of
: the services of other countries.
q Looking for Master S%trateoist.
The search is on In the United States
:. for a master s%trategist. 1t Is on also
. In every other country engaged In the
conflict In behalf of democracy. Were
: II not that Germany seems to be fully
satisfied with the strategy of a Hin
denburg and a Mackensen 1T probably
would be safe to say that the search
was on In kaiserland also.
officers of the United States army,
, like all soldiers, are modest, and more,
: over their modesty Is REINFORCED by
I fear of offending against the regula'
lions, or of meeting with the rebuff OF
the superior authorities, both military
and civilian. Therefore 1t is hardly
= to be expected that any officer, unless
. he is encouraged by some general or
4 der or, better, a general suggestion
: from the office of the secretary of war
will be willing to present for consid
: Grafton any plan which he may have
- formulated along the lines of CRANE
a strategy for the unifying of the effor'
! of the allies on all fronts and for q
/. gigantic plan of campaign that will
drive this war to the end sought.
' The major generals and the briga
der generals of the United States
army and with them thousands upor
= thousands of Junior officers are bus!
to-day whipping the armies In shape
Have they time to put to practical us'
at this time their native strategica
= ability and their knowledge acquired
= ut the wal college of their country
Y Some Of these officers, senior and jun
2 Tor, are known to service men ant
= ought to be known to the civilian au
thorlties as men of marked proficienc.
In the solving of strategical problems
:. There is a feeling existing In Wash
y tngton, In the service and out OF III
y that every promising field should b.
- searched for ''the man with a plan.
This war probably will produce 1t
master .strategist. England, Franc
and Italy and perhaps Russia ar
- searching for such a man today. Cal
he not be found somewhere within tn
American cRmp3