Evening star., 1918-01-20

the French and English. prepared to
meet any problem and to act upon 1t
as soon as it is presented. or course.
if this staff is not to be hampered with
instructions from the home Office" 1T
is the scientific and military way Of
handling the Army at the front.
A general staff has been for a long
time the ideal sought for the Army, but
a general staff without authority and
responsibility, becomes merely an ad-
visory body. of value in that respect,
but not as the means of putting an
army in a state of military prepared
ness or efficiency, and. If the Army in
France can be put under the control
staff there is fair chance that the
troops will be brought into fighting
condition.
If, however, the civil side interferes
with the disposition of the forces on
the other side. as on this side it did in
the instance Of reorganizing the Del
aware contingent, there is little hope
for relative efficiency in the expedition
ary forces.
Secretary Baker facetiously stated to
the Senate committee on military af-
fairs that about the only
Army Not thing the War Depart
ment had in anticipation
AAepaAeo' of war with Germany was
a schedule of sizes for uniforms that
has proved too small He said frankly
that in reliance upon the promise of
that nation to avoid further sinkings
Of United States merchantmen the de-
partment had done nothing in the way
of preparation, and rather threw the
blame upon Congress for not having
f<r~
or dozen years ago. While such an
swer was no answer to neglect, if there
were any, on the part of the depart
ment, 1t was not without foundation.
The Savy's preparedness was largely
due to the efforts of the House naval
committee. headed by Representative
Padgett. who for the past four years
has brought to bear the experience Of
many years study of the subject on
constructive legislation. The House
committee on military affairs. on the
other hand. opposed the plan of a
former Secretary of War to secure a
federal force and favored a state mill
tia. The same committee opposed the
recommendation of the present Secre-
tary of War and the administration for
the passage of the selective draft bill;
and from these two instances it is OBJ
vious that the Army could not have
had much worthwhile support in any
constructive or progressive legislation
iTOI tut I1ouSc, "AcIS tHS dppEOpIid-
tion bill is shaped.
The result, seen in eleventh hour
changes in organization; in shortages,
suffering and unnecessary deaths in
camp; in insufficient equipment so that
troops in the cantonmentS could not
be properly trained. may not all be
placed at the door of the War Depart
ment. 1t is due to the failure of the
people of the United States to insist
upon a sane military policy that would
have produced state of genuine pre-
paredness.
The administration doubtless had
some reason for Withholding it's ap-
prova1 of active preparation for war
other than the fatuous dependence
upon the word of nation that held it's
solemn treaty as scrap of paper; but
it hAs not seen fit to disclose that rea-
son, and it would not be necessary to
do so if the country had in years
past adopted a reasonable military
policy.
Now the only thing to do that will
make the Army efficient is to make the
best Of a bad situation; to secure the
| big men of the nation - either in a
munition department or in some other
way-to strengthen the weak places;
and put the organization on a business
like basis.