The Washington herald., 1918-12-30
BIG STANDING ARMY
NEEDED FOR 2 YEARS
IN EUROPE BY ALLIES
FRON pACr ONI

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
at once. That means that-haIf our
army of 100000 men are to return
10 peaceful pursuits. The labor situ-
alton. lack of food and transporta-
ton and other difficulties prevent a
greater demobilization at this time.
But 1t must be borne in mind
that among the leaders Of all the
allied armies the opinion is held
that II thes new nations Of Europc
are to be protected from BoIsheyism
ana the lawlessless Of unframed
men, Europe must maintain larger
armies for two years longer than
she did in peace times. | do not
means that the new young repubIics
need the pressure of armed forces
but that they must be able to pro-
tect themselves from the unrest
which any period of reconstruction
breeds. 1t is certain that sucb
thought will be expressed strongly
at the Peace Conference,
In this policing of Europe, if Won
so care to define it, the usn or
American troops would be ideal
They disclosed themselves to ne os
or the finest fighting men Of tho
world. Their superior euuipment
thelr' ardent spirit in battle. their
caring, resOurCefulness and. above
all their ability to work with troops
OF other nations without friction
prove them as capable of aIv tasL
In particular l must prsise tboir
elastic administration of their bmsi-
ness as soldiers. Our army Is tiad
by red tape, as is every army in
EUROPE. The Americans have an ad-
mlnlstration which lives to eyary
ohcer powers and initiative enyicd
Dy every European officer. Under
thls American system, great results
are quickly achieved. The greatest
Iesson or the war to our executive
orncers and staff men was the lesson
taught by the. study of the Ameri-
can army's administrative system.
NOW as to the military lessons
winch the man in the field has learn
ed from the fearful war just passed.
war is passed, we all hone hut we
can consider what manner of armies
would be selected if another war
should come. 1t is not easy to pre-
dict how wars will be made. All
theories of war making, 1 except
none. were found to be obsolete in
the fighting just ended. What we
thought would happen. did not hap
pen ana what we counted as of lit
tie value proved of great value.
Infantry Greatest Factor.
THE infantry will always be the
greatest factor in war. No matter
what may be invented, men must be
sent into battle to overcome other
men. Numbers must always count.
Cavalry cannot be discarded yet and
artillery. of course, must be greatly
increased in the armies of the
future, for the greater the artillery
strength, the smaller the casualties
of the infantry.
Great progress will be made in the
air. But in this war we learned that
men can fight underground. And if
means is found of sending thousands
of air fighters into battle at once, the
soldier will only dig the deeper to
escape their bombs, and until he is
dislodged, the army of occupation can
not advance. The airplane has not
been successful as a means of attack
ing troops on the ground
Out of the war Italy has gained a
great pride and new spirit. Never
before was the national spirit OF Italy
more healthy. Italy's record in the
war, which she financed for the most
part by her own efforts, will bring
confidence to the Americans who wish
to invest in Italian securities. A great
era of industrial progress lies just be-
fore the people Of Italy,"