The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-04-16

their third summer.
my own belief is that cOmpe-
tent men of their standing and
rank can gain very little from a
third summer at Plattsburg and
that they should be utilized as
officers, even if only as second
ieutenants. But they are keenly
DESTROYS to see service; and If
they serve under you at the front,
and are not killed, they will be far
better able 10 instruct the draft
army next fall or next winter, or
whenever they are sent home, than
they will be after spending the
summer at PIattSburg.
"The President has announced
that only regular officers are to go
with you, and il this is to be the
invariable rule then I apply on
behalf of my two sons that they
may serve under you as enlisted
men. to go to the front with the
first troops sent over.
Trusting to hear that this re-
quest has been granted, I am, with
great respect,
every sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
up. S.-If l were physically fit,
instead of old and heavy and stiff,
should myself ask to go under
you in any capacity down to and
including sergeant; but at my
age, and condition, suppose that
could not do work you would
consider worth while in the fight
ing line (my only line) in lower
grade than brigade commander"
CHAPTER III
Our deplorable situation as to mu-
nitions was fully discussed at a con.
ference called by Secretary Of War
Baker May 10. 1t was brought out
that we had for issue, not in the
hands of troops, fewer than 2S5,000
Springfield rifles, caliber 80; only a
few more than 400 light field guns,
three-inch, and $50 heavy field guns.
As it was impossible because of
manufacturing difficulties for our fac
tories to turn out enough Sprin;; field
rifles within a reasonable time, the
secretary decided to adopt the Enfield
rifle for our infantry. 1t was then
being manufactured for the British in
large quantities at private factories in
our country, and slight modification
of the chamber only was necessary to
make it fit our ammunition. The total
production of this rifle exceeded g.
100000 during the war.
As to machine guns, it was reported
to the conference that we had few
less than 1900, and these were of four
types. Congress in 1915 had appro-
priated $12,OOO,OOO for machine guns,
but the War department had not de-
cided definitely to adopt any particu-
lar one for our army, although an
order had been placed late in 1916 for
a quantity Of the heavy vickers-
Maxims.
SnOrI on AHlInuHntOHs
OF artillery ammunition, except for
the three-inch, we did not have enough
to provide more than nine hours sup
ply, even for the limited number Of
guns on hand, firing at the rate ordi-
narily used in laying down barrage
for an infantry attack.
The situation at that time as to avi-
alton was such that every American
ought to feel deeply chagrined to hear
it mentioned. OF 65 officers and about
900 men in the air service section Of
the signal corps there were 35 officers
who could fly.
With the exception of five or six
officers, none of them could have met
the requirements of modern battle con-
ditions and none had any technical
with aircraft guns, bombs,
or bombing devices.
We had some fifty-five training
planes in various conditions of USE
fitness, all entirely without war equip
ment. OF these planes it is amusing
now to recall that the national advis-
DRY committee for aeronautics, which
had been conducting an alleged scien-
tific study of the problem of flight,
advised that fifty-one were obsolete
and four others obsolescent.
We could not have put a single
squadron in the field, although it was
estimated that we should eventually
need at least 300 squadrons, each to
be composed on the average of some
"a officers, $50 men and IS planes, be-
sides large reserve of planes for re-
Among other subjects considered
with the secretary was the assembly
for training Of the National Guard
and the men to come in under the
draft.
In lieu Of any previous plans, the
secretary contemplated the construc-
ton of cantonmentg in different parts
Of the country, and May the COM
generals of the several de-
partments were directed to select
sites.
The actual construction of canton
ments was not begun until nearly
three months after we were in the
war, and so great was the task of
buildings and putting in wa
ter works and sewers that some ninety
days more elapsed by the time these
centers of instruction were ready to
receive troops. Thus it was, with some
exceptions, practically six months be-
fore the training of our army was IN
der way, Even then several of these