Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1918-12-16
MONDAY MORNING. DECEMBER Is. 1918
Crowd er's Army"

While in Great Britain there is movement for
the wiping out Of all traces of the institution which
saved the nation-conscripton
over. Provost Marshal General Crowder at the same
pleads for the preservation machinery that
enabled do part, against time when we
may be called upon again. The call may never come
in that case there will he CONSUMPTION. The
chinery however should he held in readiness will
nothing maintain it.
The British impatient of even shadow Of
restriction upon their movements. Americans arc
careless in that regard. \ form which does not actu-
ally restrict bind is matter OF indifference so that
We may suppose there will be opposition except
by pacifiss, anarchists, socialists bolshevists and
other foolish and vicious persons the maintenance
Of the selective draft policy.
If the adoption had been left to the people
have not the slightest would have failed
There were many who yet believe. that the patriotism
Of the country might take the concrete form of an
army of "a million over night" But we all know
there would been no such army A million men
could easily have been modified to engage in wind
tanning but not in fighting. Even under the spur Of
the selective draft after became fact ensments
we're comparatively few. While many enlisted only to
anticipate the draft, thousands Jagged behind hoping
that somehow the draft would miss them. Popular
patriotism not the fiery kind we had believed it
would be. 1t manifested in its more passive form
Of yielding to authority characteristic OF Ameif-
eansm.
The seectve draft was success rom tie begin
ming, thanks alone thu genius &C rsovost Marshal
General Crowder. II the only carly preparation
for war that characterized by gross bunders
It alone was directed BY a man who knew what he
wanted and how to it. Hs spirit was infused into
the local boards throughout the country so that within
eighteen months had five million men fighting or
ready to fight
We had not. though for a year the fighting
equipment for them but that was fault Of General
Crowdor We have often thought that if he had had at
the outset the supreme unhampered direction Of all
things pertaining to the war; the manufacture Of
clothing, and ammunition aerollaras and all the
things that were yc lack incomplete ycar later
mFny precious months ard scmc milton Of precious
lives Of AID al;c7 night have been saved
Wc have thought that with the genius Crowder
displayed must have had great power Of adminstra-
ton in reserve.
Crowder's army-t should bear that name in the
records just the first 10 900 Of British will be
known as "Kitchener's Army'-vas composed of men
for tho most part without the slightest training What
force it might have been once under system of
military training and service such as far-sighted
Americans had urged for years With such a system
behind it and with competent or not wholly incom-
petent men in charge of preparations, the war
might have been ended year ago
Though victory has been gained and though the
American soldiers have of the war sloriousy
when we stop amid rejoicing sec clearly what
unpreparedness cost this nation in time and blood
and gold All that had been predicted as result of
our national neglect. when the shadow of war
was falling upon us has been terribly fulfilled.