Evening star., 1903-12-07
WORK OF THE ARMY
Last Annual Report Of Sec
retary Root.
NEW GENERAL STAFF
ITS INAUGURATION THE IMPORT
ANT EVENT OF THE YEAR.
American Troops Not Needed Much in
Philippines Outside the Moro Coun-
try-Would Lower the Tariff.

Secretary Roots annual report of the
operations of the military establishment.
made public today, partakes of the nature
of valedictory, inasmuch as it is the last
report of the kind he VIII make N conse-
quence of his retirement from tie cabinet
the latter part of next month.
No Radical Changes Called For.
aside from such action may be called
for by a further study Of coast defense
problems" says Secretary Root, Il do not
think that any important legislation re-
garding the army will be advisable for
some time to come. Occasion for some
minor changes VIII of course develop from
time to time and it is important that Con-
gress should continue the appropriations
necessary for carrying on the policy al
ready adopted in various directions; but
very great and radical changes have been
made in many respects during the past six
years, and the army should have time to
put the new laws into operation and work
out the new methods under the direction
OF the general staff without further dis
turbance. Experience will of course de-
velop occasion for some improvements in
the new statutes. but these should not be
attempted until the full results OF expert
ence have been attained
1.-The three battalion organ Zation of In
y,
the authority vested in the President to
vary the numbers of the army between
minimum and maximum limits, the Sys-
tenn Of details to the staff, with compul-
sorry return to line service at fixed inter-
walls in place of permanent staff organiza-
tions, the system Of general staff Super-
vision and control, the new militia system
providing for cooperation with the regular
army, the enlarged system Of military edu
cation eliminating in the Army War Col
lege as an adjunct to the general staff, all
appear to be working well and are enlist
ing the best effors s of the officers of the
army. They should be let alone until some
reason for interfering with them appears
as the result of trial
Some ctic-sm has been made upon the
detail system as applied to the ordnance
failed to secure the requisite number OF
lieutenants for the ordnance service. I do
not agree with that criticism. There ave
now seventy nine officers of the line serving
in the special staff departments under de-
tails. They are all performing their duties
satisfactorily, and there is no reason to he
found in our experience thus far for doubt
ing the wisdom of the conclusion reached
by Congress in the establishment of the
detail system.
Summary of Departmental Reports.
THE reports of the generals commanding
and of the inspectors general show that
the food and clothing furnished have been
satisfactory. and the arms and equipments
Of good quality. The transportation of
troops and supplies has been promptly and
effectively accomplished The officers charg-
ed with maintaining the discipline and
morale of the army have had to contend
with the relaxation of orderly habits. which
always results from active military opera
tions, and with the injurious effects pro-
0uced at large number of posts by the
abolition of the canteen: and the burden of
the older and more experienced officers has
heen increased by the fact that so large
proportion of the junior officers brought in
upon the enlargement of the army were
necessarily without much military expert
ence. 1t is evident however. that through
out the army there has been during the
year very active and faithful work. In
many organizations a very high standard of
discipline has been attained. and in all
very gratifying progress has been made.
The General Staff
1.-THE important military event of the year
affecting the regular army has been the re-
organization of the system of military con-
troll under the general staff act approved
February H. 1903. -
'It will be perceived that we are here pro-
viding for civilian control over the military
arm. but for civilian control to be exercised
through a single military expert of high
rank. who is provided with an adequate
In the performance of his duties and who
is bound to use all his professional skill
and knowledge in giving effect to tn, pur-
poses and general directions of his civilian
superior. or make way for another expert
who will do So
I'm this way it is hoped that the prob
lem of reconciling civilian control with
military efficiency with which we have
been struggling for SO many years will be
solved.
1T is gratifying to report that the new
system of control has been accompanied By
most harmonious effort and cheerful good
will on the part of the members of the
gt Eeral staff, the chiefs of all the War
Department bureaus, and the officers of the
army at large. in some cases the inter-
vention of the chief of staff and his assist
ants has resulted in an apparent diminu-
ton of the independent authority of othc-
officers. This has been received almost
universally with a cheerful readiness to
subordinate personal consideratio to the
good of the service The exceptions have
been so few and unimportant as to justify
the belief that they will soon disappear.
Special credit is due TO Brig. Gen. Will
liam II. Carter for the exceptional ability
and untiring Industry which he has
tributed to the work of devsng bringing
about and putting into operation the gen
eral staff law. He brought thorough and
patient historical research and wide en-
perience both in the line and the stat, 70
aid Of long continued anxious and con
centrated thought upon the problem of I'M
proving military administration and IL the
new system shall prove to be an improve
ment the gain to the country will have
been largely due to him.
The New Military Law.
"Of equal Importance with the general
staff act in its relation to the general mill
tary efficiency of the country is the act to
promote the efficiency of the militia ap-
proved January 81, 1903, supplemented by
appropriation of $1,000 900 In the army
appropriation act of March q 1903. 1t is
gratifying to report that the officers of both
services have entered upon the execution of
the new statute with an evident desire to
discharge these obligations and attain the
purposes of the law
"As the chief interest of the United States
in the militia lies in its availa blity for ma
tional protection upon occasions of emer-
gency, one of the underlying objects of this
law is to prescribe the way to make it
available as fighting force. The constitu-
tiona1 purposes for which the militia can be
called into the active service of the United
States are embodied in section 4, the terms
of service in section 5, the apportionment of
the militia when called into service in sec
ton g, while sections Z to IL provide
for the muster into service, courts