第35章

Thebureauchiefswereforthemostpartelderlyincompetents，whoseideawastodotheirroutinedutiesinsuchwayastoescapethecensureofroutinebureaucraticsuperiorsandtoavoidaCongressionalinvestigation。Theyhadnottheslightestconceptionofpreparingthearmyforwar。Itwasimpossiblethattheycouldhaveanysuchconception。ThepeopleandtheCongressdidnotwishthearmypreparedforwar；andthoseeditorsandphilanthropistsandpeaceadvocateswhofeltvaguelythatifthearmywereincompetenttheirprinciplesweresafe，alwaysinveighedagainstanyproposaltomakeitefficient，onthegroundthatthisshowedanaturalbloodthirstinessintheproposer。Whensuchweretheconditions，itwasabsolutelyimpossiblethateithertheWarDepartmentorthearmycoulddowellintheeventofwar。SecretaryAlgerhappenedtobeSecretarywhenwarbrokeout，andalltheresponsibilityfortheshortcomingsoftheDepartmentwerevisiteduponhisdevotedhead。HewasmadethescapegoatforourNationalshortcomings。Thefaultwasnothis；thefaultandresponsibilitylaywithus，thepeople，whoforthirty-threeyearshadpermittedourrepresentativesinCongressandinNationalexecutiveofficetobearthemselvessothatitwasabsolutelyimpossibletoavoidthegreatbulkofallthetroublethatoccurred，andofalltheshortcomingsofwhichourpeoplecomplained，duringtheSpanishWar。

Thechiefimmediatecausewastheconditionsofred-tapebureaucracywhichexistedintheWarDepartmentatWashington，whichhadpreventedanygoodorganizationorthepreparationofanygoodplanofoperationforusingourmenandsupplies。Therecurrenceoftheseconditions，eventhoughinsomewhatlessaggravatedform，inanyfutureemergencyisascertainassunriseunlesswebringabouttheprincipleofafouryears’detailinthestaffcorps——aprinciplewhichCongresshasnowforyearsstubbornlyrefusedtogrant。

Therearenationswhoonlyneedtohavepeacefulidealsinculcated，andtowhommilitarismisacurseandamisfortune。Thereareothernations，likeourown，sohappilysituatedthatthethoughtofwarisneverpresenttotheirminds。Theyarewhollyfreefromanytendencyimproperlytoexaltortopracticemilitarism。Thesenationsshouldneverforgetthattheremustbemilitaryidealsnolessthanpeacefulideals。TheexaltationofNogi’scareer，setforthsostrikinglyinStanleyWashburn’slittlevolumeonthegreatJapanesewarrior，containsmuchthatisespeciallyneededforusofAmerica，proneaswearetoregardtheexigenciesofapurelycommercialandindustrialcivilizationasexcusingusfromtheneedofadmiringandpracticingtheheroicandwarlikevirtues。

Ourpeoplearenotmilitary。Weneednormallyonlyasmallstandingarmy；butthereshouldbebehinditareserveofinstructedmenbigenoughtofillituptofullwarstrength，whichisovertwicethepeacestrength。Moreover，theyoungmenofthecountryshouldrealizethatitisthedutyofeveryoneofthemtopreparehimselfsothatintimeofneedhemayspeedilybecomeanefficientsoldier——adutynowgenerallyforgotten，butwhichshouldberecognizedasoneofthevitallyessentialpartsofeveryman’straining。

Inendeavoringtogetthe“RoughRiders“equippedImetwithsomeexperienceswhichwerebothoddandinstructive。Therewerenotenougharmsandothernecessariestogoround，andtherewaskeenrivalryamongtheintelligentandzealouscommandersofthevolunteerorganizationsastowhoshouldgetfirstchoice。Wood’sexperiencewaswhatenabledustoequipourselvesinshortorder。TherewasanothercavalryorganizationwhosecommanderwasattheWarDepartmentaboutthistime，andwehadbeeneyeinghimwithmuchalertnessasarival。

OnedayIaskedhimwhathisplanswereaboutarminganddrillinghistroops，whowereofpreciselythetypeofourownmen。Heansweredthatheexpected“togiveeachoftheboystworevolversandalariat，andthenjustturnthemloose。”IreportedtheconversationtoWood，withtheremarkthatwemightfeelourselvessafefromrivalryinthatquarter；andsafewewere。

IntryingtogettheequipmentImetwithchecksandrebuffs，andinreturnwasthecauseofworryandconcerntovariousbureauchiefswhowereunquestionablyestimablemenintheirprivateanddomesticrelations，andwhodoubtlesshadbeengoodofficersthirtyyearsbefore，butwhowereasunfitformodernwarasiftheyweresomanysmooth-bores。Onefineoldfellowdidhisbesttopersuadeustotakeblackpowderrifles，explainingwithpaternalindulgencethatnooneyetreallyknewjustwhatsmokelesspowder