The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-01-01

which could nave been made quickly
available either for domestic or foreign
| service. Prolonged and disheartening
delays were the inevitable result OF the
way in which Congress. ever since the
| Spanish-American war exposed the de-
| fects in American military prepare
ton, has deliberately treated the regu-
lar army. In order to complete the
present revelations, there should be
added to the Investigation Of the War
! department by Congress an investiGa-
! ton of the record Of Congress IN mill
tary legislation by a select committee
J of American generals.
| In proposing such a supplementary
! inquiry, The New Republic must not
BE understood as disparagtng the value
! OF the current hearings They have al
ready brought to light facts which the
/ American public needed to know. They
! have already proved that even given
/ tie untoward conditions the War de-
! partment has not moved as quickly as
it might in providing equipment for the
new American army. They have al
ready indicated the unwisdom of the
Encouragement by the military author
ties Of the publication of disagreeable
aware and which in the long run could
rot be concealed. They have already
resulted in beneficial changes in or
ganization and personnel. NeTeTthe-
less the inquiry will fail to enlighten
american public opinion as to the ulti-
mate cause of the tardy preparations
Unless it places the responsibility for
the delay on Congress, and upon the
past popular Indifference to the Aneri-
can army, rather than on the War de-
partment. Considering the nature or
American military organization at the
time of the American declaration OF
war against Germany. prolonged delays
could have been avoided only by an ex-
hibition of superhuman energy and Or
ganizing ability; and the Superman ca
pable Of saving some months in equip
ring an army could not be improvised
any more than could the trained sol
Giers.
The American nation and Congress
cannot adopt policy Of starving the
army and Of confirming the work Of its
officers to a deadening routine Of petty
oetafl, and then expect the War de
p27tment, whenever crisis occurs, to
cast aside its pedantry and red tape
and jump to the level of great captains
vi Hl4sILGL SO4So4l1Acl4OiGs NO44EoL 4AGAS
had delivered to it for war purposes the
had deliberately ordered The upper
officials of the American army consist
for the most part of patriotic men and
capable soldiers who have done their
best to keep the regular army alive. but |
who have been thwaTted by public
neglect and congressional opposition.
They have never been allowed to Or
ganize a military machine which was
capable OF making war, and the ma
chine has naturally broken down when
war had to be made The wonder IS |
that they have succeeded in accom-
plishing so much as they have done.
The outbreak of war has converted
the American army from torpid into
an enormously Five and growing
body. Its organization Is trying to adj
just itself to the size of its job. It Is
gradually doing so. but not as quickly
as it should. 1t reeds to be forced into
even more radical changes in person
mel and organization than those which
have already been made. Congress is
the best agency to exercise pressure,
and it is Of course the source from
which any supplementary legislation
which Is needed must come. But In
lawns SAA4S 4SS54S'Ae(S4O4 SOuSISSS Will
fail unless it is guided by expert mill
tary opinion rather than by its. tradi-
tional fear Of an army which could
not be allowed to be efficient because
the price Of efficiency was some inde-
pendence OF congressional control
Nothing but results count in war. The
only justification for the investigation
Is the determination to secure I'M
proved results-that q to place more
end better equipped and trained SOL
diers in France N a shorter time. The
way in which Congress can best con
trtbuteto the results is to give the War
department what It demands In appro-
prfations and legislation, to avoid In
terfering in the detail of the war adj
ministration, and then to serve notice
that if the results are not forthcoming
there will be trouble. It cannot IN this
way enable the country to escape from
the penalty OF its past mistakes In mill
tary policy, but It VIII az least be max
ing an Indispensable present contrfbu-
ton to American, military success