The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-27
WAR DEPARTMENT IN 1901
SUMMARY OF MIR. ROOTS REPORT OF
THE YEARS WORK.
High of the Army Main-
tanned and Even Bettered-GOOd
Progress Made i'm Cuba.

port OF secretary OF " dT Elllu fAOols Win
certain recommendations appertaining
thereto, with the exception Of a special
report on civil government in the Philip
pines, to be published later. was made pub
lie to-day. The report gives a brief his
tory of the reorganization of the army UNI
ser the provisions Of the act of Feb. 2,
1901. shows that the improved conditions
in the Philippines made necessary the max
imum number allowed by law, and gives
a summary of the work in the field In all
the military departments, together with the
statistics summarizing the cost of main
t%enance, most Of which have been printed
heretofore.
The strength OF the army is placed at
1888 officers and 76.OS4 enlisted men, ex-
elusive of 1886 men in the hospital corps
liz volunteer surgeons in the Philippines,
4,97S native scouts under of nine
ty-eight officers in the Philippines, and the
Porto Rican provisional regiment of twen-
ty-five officers and SIS enlisted men. The
/ total is SO, 756 officers and men of all grades
and services. OF this number approximate
ly one-half are in the Philippines, about
two-ffths in the United States, 4,914 in
Cuba, 256 in Hawaii, 162 in China and 527
in Alaska.
Concerning the raising and maintenance
Of this force the secretary says: 1.-THE re-
cruitment of the new organizations and the
maintenance Of the old have been accom-
plished without difficulty, and the material
obtained appears by the reports to be of
the best quality. About three-fourths Of
the total number of applicants were re-
jected and about one-fourth accepted. OF
those accepted about 80 per cent. were ma
tive horn and nhnnt IN nPT cent. nA1UT1lZR6
citizens. The requirements that the APP
plicant should be in perfect health, OF good
character and able to read and write have
been rigidly enforced.
The reorganization provided for by the
act required the selection and appointment
Of 29S officers of staff corps and depart
ants of the line. The staff positions have
been filled, in most cases by the appoint
ment of deserving officers who had held
staff positions in the volunteer force, ana
as to the remaining positions, by the APP
pOintment of officers who had rendered
specially meritorious service in the field.
OFFICERS FROM THE RANKS.
Concerning the examination and appoint
ment of officers from the ranks he says:
Five hundred and five enlisted men have
been examined and PA nave been passed,
declared qualified and commissioned as sec
ond lieutenants. Eight hundred and thirty
nine volunteer officers have been ordered
for examination, of whom 1O4 declined, 81
have been found not qualified, 157 remain
with their cases undetermined and 4S1 have
been accepted and commissioned. There
remain 142 original vacancies TO be filled
under the statute and there are on file TO-
32 APPLICATIONS
The reports show that the food and cloth
ing furnished to the army during the year
have been satisfactory, that the health of
our troops has been good and the death
rate low. The death rate per thousand of
frnnnG in tho nffnA tot rim h mast
year was 1914, in Cuba 9.72, in Porto Rico
100, and among the troops serving in the
Philippines and China it was reduced from
1881 during the previous year to 1919 dur
ing the past year. This covered periods or
very active service in the field by con-
siderable portions of the force in the Philip
pines and will doubtless be much further
reduced as the troops come to be stationed
in more permanent quarters
Considerable space is devoted to the trans
port service, setting forth the work done
in bringing the volunteers home in the time
prescribed by law. Regarding the ships the
secretary observes that most of our trans
ports were bought from foreign owners,
and upon being sold would necessarily come
again under a foreign flag. 1t will make a
great difference in the prices which can be
obtained if an American register can be
granted to these ships. / ask that this be
authorized by Congress. There would seem
to be no objection on any public ground to
granting an American register TO a ship
which has been for years flying the Ameri-
can flag as a public vessel of the United
States and when the money value of the
privilege will go into the public treasury"
The report of the Bureau of Ordnance,
as published heretofore, is summarized. In
view Of the increased facilities for the
manufacture of small arms the secretary
recommends that he be authorized to issue
the service rifle to the militia of the States.
Much space IS given to the Military
board of visitors for the remodeling of the
entire academy are approved. The ends
and aims of the various schools for officers
are FULLY set forth.
Concerning the need Of a general staff
the report says: mo one can doubt that
the general and field officers Of our army
have been too exclusively occupied in details
of administration, with Inadequate Oppor-
tunity and provision for the study Of great
questions, the consideration and formation
of plans. comprehensive forethought
against future contingencies, and co-ordi-
nation of the various branches Of the serv-
ice with a view to harmonious action. A
body of competent military experts should
be charged with these matters Of the high
est Importance. and to that end / strongly
urge the establishment by law of a general
staff, of which the Wa College board shall
form a part"
MILITIA LAW REVISION.
The militia laws are declared to be OBJ
solete and unsatisfactory. 'It is very de-
sirable,'' says the secretary, that Con-
gress should now exercise the power con-
ferred upon it by the Constitution to pro-
vide for organizing, arming and disciplining
the militia. The organization and arma-
ment of the national guards of the sew
eral States, which are treated as militia
in the appropriations made by Congress,
should be made the same as those pro-
vided by Congress for the regular and vol
unteer forces. The relations of the national
guard organizations to the national forces,
and the obligations and duties of those
organizations in time OF war, should be
clearly defined. so that the confusion and
distress regarding their action which ac-
companied the outbreak of the war with
Spain may not again occur.
II recommend that the President be au-
thorized to convene boards of officers Qn-
Guiding the general service and staff col
lege board for the examination OF officers
of the national guard, and other citizens
who may apply to be examined, as to their
qualifications to hold volunteer commits
sions; that the persons passing such exam
nations shall receive certificates. stating
the office for which they are found TO be
qualified, and upon the calling out or a
volunteer force shall be entitled to receive
commissions for such offices"
Attention is again asked to the INSULT
cient space in the War Department build
ing for the preservation OF records and
the transaction OF business and to the con-
stantly increasing necessity for the con-
struction of a f|reproof building TO preserve
the great mass of invaluable records
which, If destroyed, could never be sup
Ords is steadily croWdlng the officers and
clerks out Of the room which Is necessary
for the transaction of their business.
The work of the army in the philippines
is covered at length and high enconiums
are passed on its efficiency and effective