New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-22

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Never has the value of an "unmuz-
zled press" better shown itself than in its
Just criticism, during the last few days. OF
the failure of the War Department TO make
proper preparation for the training camps OF
our draft army, and also showing up the
Navy Departments paper contracts with
bookmakers for submarine chasers. Governor
Whitman says that the people do not seem
to know that they are at war 1t seems that
even the paid officials in the departments at
Washington are also unaware OF this fact
The American public must insist upon an IN
censored press as being the quickest way TO
remedy the plumbers made in Washington.
Publicity is one OF the most valuable aids
offered to the government by the editors in
this war.
Writing as one who has given much time
to the subject of officers training camps
it is nv belief that the press OF
this country should make this their next
target for their battery of editorials. your
columns have partly told of the utter UMPIRE
paredness of these camps in equipment, sucn
as uniforms, small arms and commissary, out
have only given vague idea OF the more
important fact-the lack of proper lnstruc-
ton Do we fully appreciate that the graau-
ates of these camps are to be lntrusted with
the lives of the young manhood of this coun-
try, and through these the very existence OF
the country itself?
How can our drafted army be trained when
their officers and instructors to be are them
selves Improperly trained? The manual OF
arms. marching by squads, dress parades, etc,
are not the kind of tactics that will win the
World War. With all due respect to West
Point precision in gun drill, alignment and
martial music in times of peace, we must
know that it is not that that our boys are 70
meet on the battleiields of France. This new
warfare is of an entirely different nature,
and before the flower of our manhood Is sac
rificed you should awaken the country to the
seriousness of the situation. Plattsburg stu
dents know they are not properly trained,
and feel it keeny
Creating Good officers
Let us see what is required to properly
build our army so that it will have fighting
chance against the veterans of the worlds
greatest military power. Your paper of yes
terday contained a dispatch from Boston IN
which Colonel p J. L. Azan, of the French
army. member of the military mission from
France engaged in instructng the Harvard
University regiment speaking with au-
thority gained in two years of hghtng'
said il was not so much question of ere
ating in a hurry $4,000 badly taught officers
as of making 5000 perfect ones in three or
four schools. so that every one of these 5Ooo
can make twenty more. In the opinion OF
Colonel Azan, one experienced instructor will
be required for each hundred soldiers, and
of the instructor is bad the soldier at the
end Of the year will know nothing and Will
be killed"
Il will be remembered that nearly all the
colleges of this country offered their ser
vices and full equipment to the government
for the proper training of officers. For some
unknown reason, this most valuable gift was
not accepted These colleges have dormi-