Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-02

When the real historian writes a real his
tory OF the Spanish-AmeriCan war ne Will
draw heavily on the conditions set forth in
the annual reports Of the adjutant general
OF the army for lSgS and 1850; the latter of
which has just been submitted TO the Sec
Rotary of War and made public
As briefly and pointedly as possible Cen
eraI Corbin places on record the precise
state of our army and makes plain some
of those things which should. in his opin-
ION. he done to give our land forces the
maximum Of efficiencr. 1t would be well
for the country if Congress and the state
legislatures would harmonic the some
times military but often unmilitary plans
which now separate the federal and state
troops and which render emergency mo-
bilization utterly impossible. With that
harmony existent there could be no such
criticism as that justly made by General
COrbin when he calls attention to the
''heterc grneous army, unsatisfactory not
only from military and economical view,
but because of dissatisfaction created on
the part of officers performing precisely
similar duties under different rank and diff
ferent emOluments." The argument for
homogeneous organization is not pressed
home but the critical suggestion will sure
ly accomplish some good if it has the earn
est and persistent support of the War De
partmenJ.
Should the gently-worded warning be I'M
needed. then we may reasonably expect the
volunteers at large to displaCe state mill
tia whenever the nations fighting line
neeus to be strengthened. There are now
in the service twenty-five regiments of
United States volunteers. commanded in
every instance by officers of the regular
establishment These regiments have been
constructed without serious regard for
geographical lines. although state quota
considerations did enter into the appoint
ments of officers. OF these commands Gen
eraI Corbin is properly an admiT,r, for,
from the standpoint Of the practical soldier,
they are admirable; they deserve the off
Ci4l chromium it IS not too much to say
that better volunteer regiments have never
been organized.
out of the military unreadiness of 1898
and the satisfactory experiences in the
training Of the volunteers Of 30 comes an
excellent recommendation. The necessity
for fully equipped camp grounds says the
adJutdnt general, ''one each for the north
south. east and west, is very great. These
should he large and fitted with all the ap-
pliauCes known to modern civilization and
kept in constant repair and ready for occu-
pancy at any time" If the adjutant gem
effective he viii earn the thanks of every
thoughtful, patriotic American citizen
Many Of the blunders and much of the
suffering in the war with Spain would have
been wholly inexCusable had our officers
been accustomed to the handling of large
bodies of troops. Annual mobilization
would have cost something of course, but
the amount expended in years would have
been as nothing compared with that which
mad TO be thrown away in 1s9S.
There are many other important topics
IN General Corbin's report; enough to sup
ply the House and Senate committees on
military affairs with a sessions work In
creased pay for officers serving in our new
Possessions OF as military attaches abroad
Is reasonable proposition: military reser-
yati"ns in Hawaii are needed; there is de-
mand for greater number Of cadetships
at West Point; the pay Of non-commis-
Stoned officers should be more equitable and
LIBERAL there ought To be careful consider
alton Of the artillery organization problem
In So far as it affects our coast defenses
All Of these military matters. ard more.
Will he discussed quite generally this win
Ter. and General COrbin's report will suppIv
valuable data for intelligent legislation.