Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-04-11
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FOR ADEQUATE
ARMED FORCES
Tells Rotarians Military Pols
icy Of U. S. Series of
Mistakes.

The history Of the military policy
of the United States is a history OF
%grievous mistakes and errors, Major
A. E. Brown, in. charge of the Il. .. u.
G. at the state university, told the
Grand Forks Rotary club today.
Taking as his theme '"The Business
of War; Major Brown told the Ro-
tarians that in modern warfare VIC
tory goes to the nation which is pre-
pared to be on the ground first with
an adequate force. Preparedness, he
declared, shortens all wars, reducing
to a minimum their cost in lives and
money. The lack of preparedness IN
the United States previous to IVY
cost thousands of lives and billions OF
dollars, he said.
Lack Of preparedness for war has
characterized the United States from
the time of the Revolutionary war
down to the present day, said Major
Brown. He showed that in the Revo-
luton the Continental army was filled
up from time to time by quotas OF
raw volunteer recruits. Under III
system it took 100000 American sol
dlers five years to finally defeat A.
900 British regulars.
Always Unprepared.
Nevertheless the army was allowed
to 20 to pieces at the close Of the war
anu dI ll1C OC6AiLlAA6 L SNS 49,
1912 the American army consisted
OF only 5000 men. AS a result we
had to slowly build up an army, US
ing a total of 100000 men to drive
$4,000 British troops back into Can
ada.
The lesson was entirely thrown
away, however. Major Brown declar-
ed, and at the close Of the var the
United States dropped back into its
old shiftless policy.
Coming down to more modern times
Major Brown cited the case of the
Spanish-American wal when a total
of 300, 900 volunteers were called out.
The lack Of training in proper sani-
tation, etc. caused a terrible loss Of
life and waste of money and finally
caused the rapid withdrawal OF the
American troops from Cuba
The speaker said that We had an
other demonstration of the weakness
of our military forces at the time of
1911 and 1916. When the National
Guard was sent to the border it was
found to be only 40 per cent effective.
There was no preparation for the
world war until 1916 and as a result
the United States spent some six
months preparing the frame work. for
sending 800, 900 men per month over
seas.
Present Status.
Following the world war h mill
tary leaders of the nation prepared
a business-like scheme for the ma
tional defense, calling for an army Of
275,O0O officers and men. Congress,
however, cut this down to lao, 900
amen with officers in proportion, and
If legislation now before congress be-
comes law. the army will be cut
down to $4,000 officers and men with
practically no reserves, declared Major
Brown.
This, he said, is against the wishes
Of both the president and secretary
of war who want an army Of 1SO,-
900 men.
WE must back diplomacy with
FORCE" said Major Brown in conclu-
sion, land to do this we must have
military and laval forces common
surate with the needs of the country
Other Speakers.
At the meeting today DR.. H. ].
yriesen and L. w. Myers spoke re-
spectively, on the personnel and mu-
sic at the district convention of Ro-
tartans recently held at Duluth, while
Eli L'Esperance discussed the work
done among the boys of Duluth by
the Rotarians through the juvenile
our