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Pspsr Riid Irt ichool Prepared ByDoyle Joel In.A serious problem confronts tb# United States war office today, that of a judicious expenditure of the apportionments for the defense of the nation,Up to the present thne millions of dollars have been uselessly expended for the upkeep of numerous small garrisons scattered here and there over the country. The mobilisation of forces in Texas has tested the possible strategic and defensive strength of these various army posts in regard to their location and they have been found wanting.The United States spends fifty million dollars annually more than Germany for the support of a military system very much inferior to that of the latter country, and what do we have to show for it? Nothing but an explainable misappropriation of funds for keeping In repair small garrisons of no ase whatever as regards their position. Why not consolidate these units into important division garrisons and use the money saved or some of it for the benefit of the equally Important branch of the army—the militia?The regular army is composed for the most part of a low class of men who have adopted soldiering for their trade simply because it needed no former eklli and very little character. Therefore the morals of an army post as U Is well known, must necessarily be anything but elevating. On the other hand the* militia is recruited from every class of young men who have many trades and professions.Here character is dominant and in nany cases the various detachments i eve lop into social and athletic clubs f high standing. A good athlete must be morally straight in order to be physically strong, so in the athletic meets between the companiesthe company of highest standing in ithistles Is generally found to bef good repute.Surely men of good character de-lerve more attention than men of tow.Besides, in time of war the army calls for many trades other than Fighting and in the mitttla men may be found fresh from the desk or bench, while in the fbgular army, even though a man had some calling, be would have become Inefficient on account of lack of practloe.As regards drill and markesman-ibip, the militia companies are steadily surpassing the regulars. Th e Is on account of the encouraging support of the Inhabitants of the townsin which these companies are located Therefore, comparing these twobranches of the army, la it not plainly seen that the militia, in which there to greater rivalry for military Sfficiency. and in which there is a better class of men, are entitled to a larger amount of attention than they have had before,ilsrtlfi1caaccePrr11tnetafGas1tttctcB£ItIIcPI\Itlt;lifi
Newspaper Details
Basin Republican
Basin, Wyoming, US
Fri, Apr 05, 1912
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
WY, USA 18 Aug 2019
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