Evening star., 1901-11-27
Mr.. ROOTS REPORT
Affairs Of the War Department Dur
ing the Year.
IMPROVEMENTS FOR TEE ARMY
Military and Civil Conditions in the
Philippines.
ABOUT CUBAN ATTER r S

The first installment of the annual report
of the Secretary OF War was made pubic
today 1t relates almost entirely to the
reorganization of the army, military condi-
tions in the Philippines, a new system of
military education and the arrangement
for the establishment of the Cuban re-
public.
The regular establishment now consists
Of 1888 officers and 760S4 enlisted men.
There are also 1896 men of the Hospital
Corps, 172 volunteer Surgeons in the Phil
ippines. 4,913 native scouts, under the COM
mand of 9S officers, in the Philippines, and
% officers and S15 men of the Porto Rico
Provisional Regiment. There are 1872 Of
ficers and 81 ,952 enlisted men in the United
States ILL officers and 40, 12S enlisted men
in the Philippines, and 166 officers and 4,74S
enlisted men in Cuba.
The recruitment of the new organiZati tions
and the maintenance of the old have been
accomplished 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 rejected and about one-fourth ac-
cepted. OF those accepted about 90 per
cent were native born and about 10 per
cent naturalized citizens
The New Officers.
Great care was taken in the appointment
of the additional officers provided for by the
reorganization law. Five hundred and five
enlisted men have been examined and 214
have been passed, declared qualified, and
commissioned as second 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 un-
determined and 4S1 have been accepted and
commissioned There remain 142 original
vacancies to be filled under the statute, and
there are on file 1882 applications.
The Secretary admits that some mistakes
have been made in these appointments, but
expresses the belief that in the main we
have secured very excellent body Of Of
ficers, who will do credit to the service. 1t
is especially gratifying to find so great
number of enlisted who are able to
demonstrate their fitness to receive COM
Missions
The system Of details to the staff and sup
ply departments which the act of February
substituted for permanent appointments
has been commenced. and thirty-one officers
are now satisfactorily performing their
duties under such details.
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.
Anti-Canteen Law.
Regarding the anti-canteen law, the Sec
retary says
THE provisions of section 3S Of the act
of February 2 1901, prohibiting the sale of
or dealing in beer, wine or any intoxicating
liquors by any person in any post exchange
or canteen, or army transport upon any
premises used for military purposes by the
United States, have been carried into full
force and effect, pursuant to the directions
OF the statute.
when the orders were issued for the en-
forcement of this section of the law, the
commanding officers of the various posts
and military organizations were directed to
report upon Its effects. A great body of
| hzz,, 1i,yAI tai
that the effect of the law is unfortunate. l
think, however, that a sufficient time has
not elapsed to give the law a fair trial, and
the observation and report of it's working
will be continued during the ensuing year"
The Secretary indorses the remarks made
by the board of visitors to the Military
Academy, regarding the eradication of the
practice Of hazing and the necessity for
buildings on modern lines.
Instruction of Officers.
With a view to maintaining the high
standard of instruction and general train
ing of the officers of the army, and for the
establishment of a coherent plan by which
the work may be made progressive, the
Secretary of War submits general scheme
of instruction to officers. This scheme
templates. in addition to the Military Acad-
emy, OF schools of instruction for officers
as follows:
At each military post an officers school
| for elementary instruction in theory and
practice.
Special service schools: The artillery
school at Fort Monroe, Va; the engineer
school of application, Washington barracks
District of Columbia; the school of sub
marine defense. Fort Totten, N. Y; the
school of application for cavalry and field
artillery. at Fort Riley, Kans; the army
medical school, Washington, d. c.
\ general service and staff college at
Fort Leavenworth, Kans.
A war college, for the most advanced in
struction, at Washington barracks, Dis
| trict of Columbia.
! The war college is to be under the imme-
diate direction of a board of five officers
detailed from the army at large and the fol-
| lowing ex-oficio members: The chief of en-
| gineers the chief of artillery, the superin-
| tendent of the Military Academy. the COM
manding officer Of the general service and
| staff college.
| he explains at length his scheme, and
says that the war college board shall exer-
| else general supervision and inspection of
| all the different schools above enumerated,
| and shall be charged with the duty of
maintaining through them a complete sys-
| tenn of military education. in which each
separate school shall perform its proper
part
The General STAFF.
Regarding a general staff the Secretary
says:
No one can doubt that the general and
| field officers of our army have been too ex-
| clusively occupied in details of administra-
ton, with inadequate opportunity and pro-
| vision for the study of great questions, the
| consideration and formation Of plans, COM
| prehensive forethought against future con-
| tingencies and coordination of the various
| branches of the service with view to har-
| monious action. A body of competent mill
| tary experts should be charged with these
| matters of the highest Importance, and to
| that end 1 strongly urge the establishment
| by law of general staff, Of which the war
| college board shall form part"
| A consolidation Of the supply departments
! Is recommended.
II am satisfied" says Secretary Root,
| that the division of the supply depart
ments into separate bodies, acting inde-
| pendently of each other, and each respon-
| sible only to civilian Secretary of War,
! Is bad arrangement, resulting often in
| confusion, in conflict, in unnecessary ex-
| penditure of money, in increase of paper
| work. and making 1t difficult to fix respon-
| sibility. The quartermaster's, commissary
| and pay departments should be consoli-
| dated under such provisions regarding the
| present permanent officers in those depart
| ments as shall secure them against injus-
| tice."
| The Militia.