The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-12-24
NEEDS Of THE SERVICE
Are Discussed By Staff Chiefs Of
War Department.
HOW TOPREpAREFO FOR WAR
ATTENTION SHOULD BE DIRECT
ED TO NATIONAL GUARD.
Also to Military Colleges, Which In
stitutions Furnish About one-half
of the Volunteers or Other Officers
In Observation-Disclosures In
Making Soldiers Out of Recruits.

Making Soldiers Out of Recruits.
New York, Dec. PA special to the
Tribune from Washington says: Secre
tary Root has made public the last and
most important of the reports of staff
chiefs to him, that of the inspector
general, who discusses the needs of the
service with characteristic candor.
From the chapter treating of the tran
sition of the regular establishments
from peace TO war, the following ex-
tracts are taken:
The battles of San Juan and Ell Caney
opened the fiscal year, and the honors
universally accorded to the fighting
force have proved the efficiency of the
methods employed for the military
training and discipline of the compa-
MES. and have demonstrated the adapt
ability Of the Americans to every re-
quirement of military life
The last year suddenly brought new
and unmeasured responsibilities special
expenditures extensive outfits and en-
forced familiarity with unwonted ex-
periences in far distant fields and serv-
ice, with new Asiatic and tropical en-
V1ronments 1t has not become an his
torical record how the exigencies of
organization, mobilization, campaign.
battle and military government have
been met by men who were hurried
from the plains to the battlefield In
the broadcast view the military results
have been almost, phenomenally sue
cessful, almost revolutionary to the ma
tlonal policy and career, and perhaps
not less exacting and instructive on
land than the supremacy glorious
achievements of the navy
Study of Details.
Some day careful and dispassionate
study of every detail should and prob
ably will be made of all that relates
to the soldier and his trade in this
Spanish war by the men who were ac-
tually on tho firing line and in the
forefront of battle. and it has been
clearly known how the current of
events and the methods of movement
and care and supply appeared to those
who most pointedly, and not unintel-
ligently, felt the effects of either the
excellence or remissness displayed.
In the meantime and without any
without any comparison with others
who will have played their part so adj
mirably, 1t should be recognized how
largely the burden of field work fell
upon the regular company officers, who
not only had the duties of their grade
to perform but We're assigned by the
score to every type Of duty, both of
the line and staff. and civil duties;
while the simply superb organizations
were subsequently swamped with un-
trained recruits ard indeed filled with
them again and again, until IL seemed
miraculous though the recruits were
particularly admirable, that the char
acteTistics of distinguished organiza-
tions could be so long retained despite
such circumstances.
How different this is from calling to
the colors. as other civilized nations do.
reserves trained for war in the very
organizations they join, all perfectly
equipped at the outbreak of hostilities,
is evident to every thinking mind.
Changes Brought About.
Before this war regimental organiza-
lions were comparatively little recog-
nized in military administrations. This
radical change from the habitual to the
legal unit of supply upon the outbreak
of hostilitieS is a noticeable feature de-
serving attentive consideration and
may be fundamental to our bureaucratic
consideration and may be fundamental
to our bureaucratic system Of over
burdened force. Even the companies
may feel its effects. But the regiment
administration of war, and everything
should be done to ensure sufficient and
experienced regimental commanders
and staff, and confirm them in their
legitimate duties and accustom the men
to their methods and personal equa-
ton, especially in the first swift stages
of war: though the calls for officers
are so great elsewhere that the percent
age must be quite small of regular regi-
re which want n the assault on the
first day of the last fiscal year under
their own colonels. This is one of the
many fruits of maintaining a merely
skeleton military organization without
an organized and prescribed system of
reserves and mobilization.
If our army practieed the art of
modifying annually, every feature and
requirement would be thoroughly pre-
scribed and organized and be as ia
miliar a characteristic of military
training with us as with foreign coun-
| tries. and as perfectly and easily done
as company drill. The only thing that
prevented this fundamental preliminary
practice in times of peace was lack of
money. 1t depends wholly upon the
appropriation bill. Within the decade
all that could be done simply at the
posts has been carefully and instruct
| lively carried out
| EouSEC by VOluutSeIS.
Our wars have been habitually
| fought by the volunteers, and the Span
| ish war was not an entire exception
| to this rule. though the percentage OF
regulars among the first to reach the
| front during this last struggle was per-
haps as great or greater than in any
of our previous wars.
The mobilization of so large a force
| which by the close of May numbered
nearly 10000 men and received an in
crease of over 1000 900 more during thS
next three months, was no unimport-
ant task. even though under the we'll
practiced notifications of Europe they
can turn out millions of men perfectly
equipped in the same length of time
without any undue sacrifice or discom
future, and it's successful elimination
under adverse conditions seems no les:
marvellous than our glorious achieve
ments on land or water, which over
Swallowed all other events.
From Legislative action to the ma
muster-out, every step was compare
lively new to the participants and al
experiment. and the arrival of regi
ments unarmed or half armed. or o
regiments needing clothing and othe
supplies, was one feature and the or
ganization of expeditions by water t.
tropical islands in different oceans wa
another illustrating the difficulties tina
seemed almost ipsurmountable, ant
much that was accomplished may hav
appeared to be done under telesraphi
or hurry orders. meeting every ex
igency.
Our Duty Is Plain.