The Monticellonian., 1917-05-17

RKANSAS.
 ings of army officers of the United States. Chiefs and assistant chiefs of departments have taken criticism and abuse silently, because under the reg ulatie1s, they could not make reply. If the people of the country therefore think there is blame to place for such lack of preparedness as exists they should place it where it belongs-on themselves for not influencing the con gress of the United States to make appropriations in the past for army supplies, and to stop poohpoohing the need of preparation for war.
 Much has been made of sO-called "broomstick" episodes The war de- partment has been criticized severely because it declined to supply with rifles a detachment of men drilling on Governors Island. Criticism also has come from other places because the war department will not turn over large quantities of rifles to home guard organizations and other associations of men who may or may not eventual ly get into the service.
 An American army of 500,000 men so far as it's infantry Is concerned could be supplied with rifles and ann intuition in plenty today. There is much misunderstanding in the country about the rife and equipment situa- tion.
 The United States is confronted with the problem of raising an army of 5o0000 men, of giving it's infantry and cavalry rifles and equipment, and its artillery field pieces and equipment with ammunition for all branches.
 Must Keep Weapons for. Army.
 In view of the way in which con gress has declined to make appropria- tions in the past for the necessary war material, officials say it is not proper that army officers should be blamed for not having rifles to give to home guard organizations and to de tachments of drillers here and there when the sharp necessity is to have enough weapons for the actual army which is to be raised.
 The law and the regulations stood in the way of supplying weapons to the broomstick drillers here and there and to the home guards elsewhere. The war department. it is asserted, could pot have furnished these rifles even if 1t had so desired. There was also a law higher than that of con gress, 10 stand in the way. It was the law of military common sense.
 What would this country do if its supply of rifles were in the hands of the home guards and men of other or ganiZations when the time came to supply the needs of the actual fight ing units of the field army? American civilians, it is said, do not think well along military lines. A rifle in the hands of soldier who must be trained quickly for the fighting line is worth two rifles at the command of civil ian who is learning how to take the position of a soldier and how to do few other things with the possible fn- tention of offering himself later for the service In the one case there is sharp necessity and in the other case there is only the possibility of neces- sity.
 crozier Has Done All He Could.
 Chieftains of the army bureaus have not been asleep through the years. Does anyone suppose that Brigadier General William CroZier. chief of ord ,D h. with the money at hand to supply American troops with view to the possibility of war? Does anyone sup pose that this man does not appreciate the patriotic sentiment which inspires his fellow Americans who desire to drill with the view of future service and who are demanding that rifles be given them?
 The ordnance officers do not deny rifles to men because they want to deny them. They deny them because the law of the land and the law of military sense compel them to make denial. It would seem from some of the stories which go floating about that it is the desire of army officers to pre- vent the American people from secur- ing the means to prepare themselves, The fact is that the officers of the war department are putting their material where il will do the most good.
 Trained soldiers try to put their training to proper use. It has been necessary to conserve the supply of rifles and ammunition so that it may be available for troops who must use them i'll actual conflict. If the gov ernment of the United States two years ago had made provision for this time of evil, the broomstick brigades and the home guards could have their rifles and abuse would be absent. The army has to keep within its appropria- tions
 The war department is as well pro vided for hostilities as it possibly can be under the circumstances of lack of sufficient appropriations. For years the army has urged that money be giv- en it 10 prepare. Congress has turned an unhearing ear. Things probably will he different in the future, but this, Washington officials say, is late