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E?-''? tvaC WW. E . - R:",:- ?; THE WASHINGTON TDIES, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7: 1913. , 13 U. S. ARMY READY FOR WAR WITH MEXICO Bureau Chiefs, as Result of Careful Preparation, Have Plans for Putting Half a Million Men in the Field Fine Military Asset in Regular and Militia Veterans. VARIOUS MODES OF TRANSPORTATION USED BY MILITARY FORCES Orders All Prepared and Ready for Wiring Should Hostilities Occur Small Arms Superior to Those of Any Foreigh " Troops Field Artillery and Ammunition Only Weak Spots. k irmm&& i . By JOHN War with Mexico may or may not come, but discussion of It has brought out the striking fact that the United States is today better prepared for war than at any time since the great con flict of the '60s and the years immedi ately following. In a comparatively short tune this Government could put Bft),0U0 men into the field. In many respects, they would not be equipped up to the standards of the best European armies. But they would constitute a most formidable fighting force, which no nation of the world could afford to encounter lightly. Uncle Sam could give every man of this half-million a modern magazine rifle, with plenty of ammunition, and then have a large number of small arms to spare, and in no army in the world Is there in use a military rifle uperior to the weapon with which the American army is equipped. X considerable shortage of field ar tillery and ammunition would exist. This is a fact which, as much as array men regret it, they do not attempt to deny or gloss over. It would be a seri ous defect, though there would be less destitution in the matter of batteries than is sometimes imagined. The cav alry needed -would be fairly -well sup plied. If war comes with Mexico, it is hard ly to be expected that there will be a call for a half million troops. Some there are who think the United States could conquer Mexico with 10,009 men. Nevertheless, Huerta has talked of raising a large army, Mexico has a mil lion men of military age and capable of bearing arms, and plenty of compe tent military authorities are convinced that if this country Is compelled to tackle the job of restoring peace and order in the unhappy republic of Mexico It will require 200,000 or 300,000 men be fore the task is finished. Volunteer Organizing System Needed. In any event. If American troops are ordered to cross the Rio Grande, there will be a sharp scanning of the coun try's immediate military possibilities. In fact, that scrutiny has already been given. It discloses far less unreadiness for war on the part of the United States than most people imagine and than most foreign observers believe exists. Early in the present session of Con- TUB GREAT HIKE Supper Cooked in the Open. Rel ished by Scouts With Troop from Takoma. There were sixty-five scouts in the big hike yesterday afternoon, which be gan and ended at Takoma Park, and at a meeting which, followed the hike and the supper cooked In the open, etiry one of them voted It the greatest thing of Its klr.dft staged in Wash ington. Nothing Is more certain than that none of those who went from other parts of the city will ever miss u hike which is in charge of Scoutmaster F. L. Harries and Troop No. 21. for they proved themselves the very best of hosts. With knapsacks filled with material for sandwiches, stews, and other camp fare, the hikers lined up at the end of tlie iaiionid. I'uris trin.nn- m.. . swung Into a quick pace down the road ( . . i. .-.i ti, ,..i...i C.lir-ii Tl-r lOWUra Ulc 131isa JICVIHUH .jt.ww. they were met by President Louis D. Bliss, who took them through the en tire school plant and showed them eventhlng. from an eight-ounce electro-magnet that lifts ten times its own weight to a full-size street car chassis. Halt at Station. Further on. through winding roads and scattered woods-, the trail then led to where the Takoma Park pump lag station coughs beside the Little feiigo, where a brief halt wa called Then the hill was climbed to the Ad entist seminary and about a mile fur ther on camp was pitched beside the old grist mill. Eight camp tires were soon beating back the gathering darkness and the sound of swinging scout axes echoed through the forest. Soon pork chops v,.k sizzling over one fire, sausages browned over another, while the mem bers of Troop No. 21 had a water bucket full of slew containing fish, beef, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, bread and other ingrtdients that always tast ed like more. Scoutmaster Harries was everywhere at once, teeing that etrbodj had a good time, lie thougntfully brought three loaves of bread and i-eeral pounds of sausage, for all who were not provided with lunch, and this helped a lot. Troop. No. 47 made a big log tire that gae the place an appearance of an all-night camp. To put the cap-sheaf on a tine hike, Scoutmaier Harries suddenly produced a live-pound box of marshmallows and these were toafcted to a golden brown In the dying embers. In addition to the scouts and Scoutmaster Harrie there were present Scoutmasters Tay lor and Bowles, Assistant Scoutmaster Fred Reed and Quartermaster lliller cf the Naval Battalion Fire Put Out Shortly after six o'clock the fires were doused and the hikers marched back to the parish hall of the Episco pal church In Takoma, where the boys of 21 hold their weekly meetings. Here impromptu talks were made by all he visiting scout officers and by First Sergeant Anderson of Walter Reed Hospital, who Is giving the Takoma Park boys special instruction In first aid work. Then the boys of 21 gave what was described as "a three-ring circus" one squad going through signal practice, another giving knot-tying exhibitions, and a third doing some fine bandaging. Bos'n's Mate Rooney. ol the naval bat talion, was a late comer, and, though he was n'ot in time to make a speech, lie showed some new knots. Altogether it was a fine afternoon and evening and everybody agreed It set a high mark for what a mass hike could be. . . T- B SNURE. greys. Chairman Hay, of the House Committee on Military Affairs, will urge the passage of a bill which he has al ready introduced and which the War Department has sanctioned for the ss temntic organizxtion of the volunteer forces. This bill will probably pass. When it is passed, a long step will have been taken toward preparedness. One of the worst defects of the system to dav, from an arm standpoint, is the lack of any legislation for the system atic organization of the volunteer forces. If war with a great power should strike suddenly, this lick would be a grave one. A repetition of the confusion wit nessed' in the Spanish war, so far as the matter of organization of volunteers is concerned, would be threatened. It could only be obviated by Congress hurrying through a law for the organi zation of volunteers, and the eve of war or a time of war is not the best time for such legislation. Three Steps In Plans. The navy of the United States, though having Its defects. Is stronger today that ever Jbefore, and one is accustomed to look on the army as far less ready than the navy. It is worth -while, therefore, to consider briefly the facto as to the army's preparedness and the preparedness of the country fonta great military campaign or series of cam paigns. The land military forces of the United States are In three lines, the regular army, the national guard or organized militia, and the unorganized militia. The unorganized militia in war would be speedily organized into volun teer regiments. Plans have been worked out by the War Department In the utmost detail for the raising of an army of half a million men, approximately, composed of troops of these three lines. War witli a big power would cause immedi diate orders for these three steps: Raising the regular army regiments to full war strength, making a total of about 109,009 men. Raising the national guard regiments to mil war strength, making a total of about 300,000 men. Enrolling and organizing volunteers in such number as needed. If an army of half a million men were needed it would -require, roughly, 209,000 volunteers in addition to the regulars and the na tional guard,-to make up the total. Many Experienced Men Available. Of the 6,000,000 or more men in the unorganized militia capable of bearing arms, on the outbreak of war a con siderable number would as quickly as possible be organized into volunteer FIRE BUILDING TESTS MADE AT ROSSLYN HK'' V.T1's)iwUK-Y flSHKBIIMiK Als'Zr&WJImBmKK4JM i lre. . ymrkJzU MC ':,"r ' ;;Wx729VBtfBUelMBiHHKV S V'W'iBMTBfSTRSS" y,MI..i : Dr. W. H. Leonard Watching the Scouts Build Fires and Cook Meat and 'fljHH T tL Potatoes As a Part of Their Second Class Examinations. HVH siB. iUTSl RAISE SCOUTS TO MET PtgJEpJ FLAG OVER SCHOOL C0NG.RESS HEIGHTS 3mMwm Capitol Heights Troop Will Of ficiate at Patriotic Ceremony Tomorrow Afternoon. One of the newest troops under the Jurisdiction of the local council' Is No. 1. of Capital Heights, ild., organized by Scoutmaster Hamilton, but it has proven itself one of the most loyal and patriotic to be found anj where, and to morrow afternoon will have charge of a big flag raising ceremony at tho Capi tol Heights public school. About the first thing the troop learned after the boyi had taken their tender foot examination, was that the local school had no flag. The troop could not afford to buy one, but its members immediately 'began a campaign of patriotism, and. as a result, the Junior Order of United American Mechanics presented a fine flag to the troop, which will be turned over to the sciiool tomqrrow. All the city officials, including the mayor, will be present, and Congress man Smith, of that district, is also ex pected to be on hand. Every scout master and scout In Washington has been invited by Scoutmaster Hamilton. Tho car that leaves New York avenue and Fifteenth street northwest at 1.30 o'clock, will be met at the District line by the Capitol Heights boys, and tho exercises at the school -will begin at 2:20 o'clock. United States Troops Detraining at 0 regiments, followed by other quotas rWMmSSWt from time to time to keep the regl- ..i- A- ....?.f i l..!. FfalTJli' -fni ifVH iMBr" ments at the front up to full fighting - ii.. -,. s . w ALi!mmmx TffcnTlhtgMH' strength. It would, of course, require PWti?;-4mi)'P?m some little time to raise a force of MgT,-Cr7jr52aBBvffJaM 200,000 of these volunteers, equip them M J,&0 Vdftfe3EHW!af fmw. Jf fliMLnwfnTWI regiments, followed by other quotas from time to time to keep the regi ments at the front up to full fighting strength. It would, of course, require some little time to raise a force of 200,000 of these volunteers, equip them and gel them drilled In shape to fight. But it should not bo overlooked that the number of men in the unorganized militia who have seen service Is large. They Include veterans of the Spanish war. the Philippines campaigns and the Boxer troubles, together with many men who have been schooled in the National Guard or have been trained to bear arms at various Institutions where military training is given. Such, men at the outset might not be long on parade, but most of them would know how to shoot and how to take care of themselves In camp and In the field. After all, the big question would be the eauipment of the troops and here there has been surprising progress made in recent years. If war should break out on a notice of twenty-four hours, it Is a safe guess that more progress would have been made In a week toward the mobiliza tion, enlistment, and equipment of a large army than was made In three months In the spring of 18SS. The War Department has profited by the experience of the Spanish war. The o-finance department, which supplies the arms and equipment of the troops; the quartermaster's department, which supplies food, clothing, and transporta tion, and the medical department, to s.w i.clhlng of the signal corps and the engineer corps, have been going along quietly for many months, in fact. Scoutmaster Taylor will lead the big mass hike next Saturday, the start be ing from tho Twining City end of the Pennsylvania avenue bridge, at 2 o'clock. This is just across tho Anacos tia river from Seventeenth and Penn sylvania aenuo southeast, and is easy to reach by street car. Tho route will He through the wooded hills the other side of Anacostia, and stops will bo made at the rifle range and tho Government Hospital for tho Insane. Tho wind-up will be In Con gress Jleights, where Troop No. 1M holds forth, and tno new clubhoune of the troop will be open for inspection. Many of the scouts on yesterday's hike were bo loud In Uieir demand for arother supper in the open at the i-nd of the next hike that Scoutmaster Tay lor announced that every boy that brought the materials (or a meal might Join In a camp with his onn troop. No. 47, at Congress Heights, and repeat yesterday's frolic. Troop No. 21 -will have a good camping place selected, and many of the boys will stay for the lato fun. As the Congress Heights car line will be right at hand, those L who do not wish to stay may go back Supper in Camp Will Follow 1 W&mBbB&SA WkSwJSmK Mass Tramp Being Planned I 3HiBflB BKBttMf s9 for Next Saturday. llm'fmffm Q flSBBHlikTH ito the cltjc tune. W fflfMP 1 THE LOUISIANA. Flagship of the United States Fleet on Duty on the East Coast of Mexico. for years, dnlnc a Ian? ninmint rt work in preparation for whatever may come in the way of hostilities. Progress In Every Branch. Every one of these departments of the military service has in late years made p: ogress. With the general staff at the bead of tbe service, efforts have been made to have each lp.irn,ci:t . r 1-rnnch of the army organization move forward as rapidly as appropriations aid circumstances would permit, cut ting plans perfected to raise, equip and send Into the field an army of Wl0,('0o troops. Progress has been made in niming out what supplies are neces saiy for war, in determining where they could be purchased or manufac tured, and In accumulating such sup plies. Progress has also been made in This Hungry Scout "Passed" As tbe Well Browned Sausage Testifies. Scouts Are Urged To Keep Equipment Clean When Assistant .Scoutmaster Fred Reed was Introduced at the Takoma Park meting la,t night as "tho best scout In Washington." while htnl in the ranks as a stout, he made a pointed talk to the boys on the matter of keen ing their equipment neat, and it Is a point that every tnle scout should con sider. "When people boo a scout whoso uni form needs w ashing, whose hat shows careless treatment, or which Is care lessly worn, thoy aie Inclined to dis credit tho whole bcout movement," said Itred. "Keep your badge shining, nib the green spots oft nur buttons, don't wear two leggins that were meant for the same Ictf, and take good care of your uniforms, and you will do much to make scouting- as nonulur u it de- Istrves to be." j narfittntr .nnnllhi ,ij4 AilltnmPTlt- The quartermaster's department has greatly field rations, methods of cooking, and r. Illn 11... ntiultnnt ilnnarttr nTit TlAJI done wonders with anti-typhoid serum I ...1. -l ....I..... rpha altmfkl uuu in uuier U1ICUUUU9, a.c e.o - corps has achieved much in field teleg- ... t ...A.K.. rA I., ilea nf rapny. ill ntjrimuuuvs, inv mi - projectlles from air craft. The engineer corps has advanced in Its pontoon train equipment ana in vanoua iratict-u. . ordnance department has to lta credit such improvements as the new infan try equipment, the new cavalry equip ment, the new sabers for field artillery and cavalry, the new rifle, which is declared the best In the world, and which. In tests last year, proved su perior to rifles of nlneten other gov ernments, the new pointed bullet, the new automatic machine gun, and fire BY SCOUTS Scout Beverly Galloway, Son of the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture, Who Is Now In Second Class. Boys and Friends to Take a Mass Hike Hoy scouts and their friends in Wash ington are Invited to take part in a mass hike whl"h starts from tho end of tho Takoma. Park car line tomorrow afternoon at '1 o'clock. Tho hiko will he led by Scoutmaster F I,. Harries ot Takoma Park. President Louis HIIss of the Bliss electoral school has promised to take the hoys through the laboratory the.-c. Most of tho boys will firing raw materials for 3Uppcr and took it in the open at the conclusion of the hike. Troop 22 Meets Friday. The next regular meeting of Troop 22 will ha held at Eighth and 1 streets northeast, at 7 o'clock, Friday. It will be preceded by a meeting of the pre paratory class at 1:S0 o'clock, and the troop expects to initiate several re cruits wry shortly. Fodder Transport Along the Rio Grande. control for seacoast artillery. These are but a email part oi ine aavancea which have quietly been made within the last several years by the army. Ordnance Department's Big Task. ' The department which would be among the most important if war broke out la the ordnance department, or of fice, of which Gen. William Crozier Is the distinguished head. On this de partment would fall the responsibility of arming and equipping the troops, of seeing they had- enough rifles, of sup plying them with field artillery, of pro viding ammunition for rifles and guns, of supplying horse equipment for the cavalry and equipment of various sorts for the Infantry and other arms of the service. An army may fight pretty well for a time on scant rations and poor clothing and shoes; and medical service can to some extent be Improvised. But lack of weapons and ammunition and other equipment of the sort the ord nance department supplies means that the army Is out of business and whip ,ped before It starts. The ordnance department working diligently over a period of six or eight years, with plans in mind for equipping approximately half a million troops, has made surprising progress on its task, and has reached a measure of readiness that few outside the army and many inside it do not comprehend. Equipment Orders Are Prepared. General Crozier and able assistants, like Col. John T. Thompson, have pro ceeded on the theory that If the army TENDERFOOT PASSES ITS TESTS Forty-seven Second , Class Scouts Are Added to Wash ington Enrollment. There are forty-seven second class scouts In Washington today, -who yes terday were only tenderfoot scouts, that number having concluded their sec ond class tests at Rosslyn, Va., yester day morning under the supervision of Dr. W. H. Leonard and Scoutmaster LugenbeeL All but flvo of the class of fifty-two passed. The first aid, signaling and oral tests were given Friday night In the office of Scout Commis3i3ncr Martin In the Dis- ; tret building and most of tho boys . showed that they had been well pr- Lparea for the examinations by their re spective scoutmasters. Only tne tiro building and cooking tests were given at Rosslyn and as the day was clear and the air still, tbe boys had little (difficulty on that score. The boys who passed their examina tions are: Harold Harrison, Robert Bonde. Boverly Galloway, Samuel Rosenberg, John Kldd, Norman Kalet skl, Roland Simmons, Charles Spring man. Robert Knsslin, Harry F. Bleber, George Porter, Earl Sawyer, Floyd Roberts. Ferdinand" Hofman. Sidney King, Amand Donncll, Hummell Ftshburn. Roger Gates. Augustus Hlnes, Jr.. Ralph Lee, Jr., Frederick S. Lee, Nelson P. Marshall, John Muchler. Her bert Pierce, Thomas Somervllle, Robert N. Young, Leslie SherifT, Frank Arm strong, Lawrence Gardner, Dave Good man. Edward Rohm, Leroy Harris, Mil ton Price, Jack O'Donnoghue, Lindsey Green. J. B. Holier, William B. Prigg, Hartley Fellows, H. Wade Butler, riarence S. Thurtell. Howard Jordan, George Graft, Ea-lo Zirkle, Harry Mat tingly. Paul Seltzer, Stanley Crossfalth and Edward King. Troop No. 25 Planning Two Hikes a Month Troop No. 23 will have two hikes each month. These will take place on the first two Saturdays of the month, un less delayed by rain. The meeting place will bo tho Sixteenth street bridge, across Piney branch. Individual instruction in" scouting will take place Friday evening of each week a: 7 o'clock 1519 Park Road. Every Boy's a Scout with Marble's Safety Axe Ideal Hunting Knife in his be compass on his coat and Marble's famous "Game Getter Gun" (.22 upper barrel and .44 shot or ball lower). All true American boys thould know about Marbles 60 Outing specialties They Include nothing but the better grade of outing neces Ities. Don't plan your camping trip until you investigate them Take a man's, gun with jou-a cliafu iii-h-irriicli stool axe a hunting Knuo that will cut a coin pass that nover goe wrong anil .uaruiu a Waterproof Mate h box. Good tools last buy them first and save In the end. FIIKK CVTAMH5 Watford's 909 Pa. Ave. SQUAD an TVJsl It W uaYW is to rise to tho occasion when needed, there must be a most systematic pre paration of tho fighting material in times of peace. Wartime problems, as far as possible, have -been worked out In advance. This is true to such an ex tent that If war were declared, tha dis patch of a limited number of telegrams from tho ordnance- office In Washington, which is like tho planning room of a great industrial establishment, would set all the arsenals going night and day and would start the issue of arms, .am munition and rqulpment to troops as fast as organized. It would not even be necessary to write out orders for re sponsible officers stationed here and tnera aoout the country, at arsenals, district supply deposit or supply arsenals These orders. In advance, have all been prepared with utmost care. No one who has not had experience appreciates the magnitude of tho task, of getting out a multitude of rush orders when war comes. So well Is the business of pre paring orders systematized -that the commandant at tha Rock Island arsenal, for instance, would require a telegram only a few words Jon? So set the es tablishment going at war speed, turning out arms and equipment. The entire equipment for a-regiment could be start ed for its destination at point of enlist ment or mobilization by simply- wiring the proper office to issue "War. No V to designated troops. This equipment Is stored and carefully listed at district supply arsenals located convenient to points where troops will concentrate if hostilities break: out. Five Ordnance. Districts: The country has been .divided Into five ordnance districts, each supplied from an arsenal located"'therein -where are stored all the small arms, personal equipment aad horse equipment neces sary to bring- the regular army and the National Guard to war strength and, to a large extent, to equip addi tional volunteer forces. As a part of the preparatory plans, the ordnance office maintains up-to-date statements of the reserve ord nance and ordnance stores on hand at the arsenals, and has complete infor mation as to the capacities of the various arsenals, private manufactories and powder mills In this country. In other words, it knows , just where it can lay its hands on every bit of war material in the United States, has cost figures down to a nicety, and has com plete plans, with letters of instruction drafted, for equipping the troops. None of the laborious preliminaries, none of the long work: of preparing elaborate letters and instructions, which had to be gone through with in the Spanish war, would-have to be done. . The War Department has asked Congress for liberal appropriations for Held artillery and reserve ammunition. And. while Congress has not seen Its way clear 'to give all that has been asked. It has made- It possible to go steadily ahead, building more modern field guns and storing np more and more reserve ammunition. In a pinch, partly with the new army rifle,, partly with the Krag-Jorgensen. there Is no Let Santa Announce a Detroit Electric The Detroit Electric truly is the symbol of Christmas spirit. It mil bring infinite joy and hap piness to her and every member of the family as well. For it means that your holiday thoughtfulness,as represented in the Detroit Electric, will be remem bered not just for a day or a month, but for years to come a permanent pleasure and convenience. And doubly so in choos ing a Detroit Electric, beautiful to look upon, We Maintain Exclusive Service for Detroit Electrics Only. Our Service Station. Is Never Closed Emerson & Orme, Distributers 1407 H Street N. W. Telephone Main 7695 , Telephone Main 7695 & doubt a million men could be scppliei with small arms and given amraaal tion for- a campaign. , Artillery a Weak Spot . The weakness In field1 artillery an ammunition Is serious, though it would probably take something more than a war with Mexico to develop It Tee 600,000 men it would require about M batteries of four guns each, or t29t ganat The arm has about. SO per cent of tte necessary guns either constrncte or appropriated for and under construc tion. Tf fin nhnnt K a ,. . necessary supply of reserve aauBanl- iiir" ,UBrf uirea re Dasea on, a lens liberal estimate of guns and. ammsnl- i . inadl0 for European armies, like those of Germany. France, and Russia. Wars like those la tae Sar..5!ft.vanIJhe BaBfflI1 lm -Ped the prime importance of fteld artillery In modern .campalgnlnc aa& troops going into action wlthduteaoegV artillery would be gravely handicapped, tmless indeed, the enemy U fmS weak in that respect. Mexico wetfM not develop this country arSXr weakness for the reason that wSbiSr -- -u, uiuuuuuu BUS ftrfl XffA Much AmmHBitioa xTeeoe. In modem war, field artmery toegiaa rL1 ? &. eneny long enouarh la advance of the Infantry attack to break down the enemy's Olnes wXlrS artillery fire, in the Infantry attack, until the infantry gets close up tothe enemy, the supporting artillery ttrtm over the head of the Infantry an4ea deavors to crush the enemy's resistlnr power. It is apparent such use of modern quick-firing artillery "fairly eats supply is gone, the field gun becomes a useless piece of furniture. This show that a large reserve supply of- artillery ammunltio i practically iadispenaablA. Efforts of the 'War Department and men In Congress friendly to the army will be more and more directed to' get ting tab field artillery and its reserve ammanlUon supply up to the needed basis. But, -with the recent Increasing appropriations, as already pointed out, a good beginning haa been made- By the creation of a general staff after the Spanish war. which, smoar other duties, co-ordinates the work of the supply departments, confusion In 'time of war would be replaced by system, much like the system which character izes modern Industry. Want of pre paration would he replaced by. prepared ness . Washington's ma-rim, "in time cf ?eace, prepare for war.' has not been orgotten. The ordnance department, the Medical Corps, the quartermaster's corps, the Signal Corps, ,and the en gineers; all have been forging ahead with the same general objective to put Into the field. If need be, and maintain an army of a half million. Much re mains to be done, but the responsible army heads feel they are beginning to see daylight, and that if the call sounds they could give a good account of their stewardship. stanchly built, of ' only the best, it fulfills your ideal of what a Christmas gift should be. For the Detroit Electric is the standard of electric car values the standard by which all Electrics are judged in style, comfort, and luxury. This is be cause they have, and do now as never before, typi fy the highest excellence in electric car constrnc-i tion. You have a choice of a variety of models and styles. The prices are. right. ,n,-;i,iil Hi .JLtr-vAta-i -n -$ i .- c r5 V-- -A -T-j?