The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1903-12-10
OUR ARMY AND NAVY.
Recon- ndatlOnsL Looking to Better
ment of Both Services Are Made.

The effect of the laws providing a gen
eral staff for the army and for the more
effective use of the national guard has
been excellent. Great improvement has
been made in the efficiency of our army
in recent years. Such schools as those
erected at Fort Leavenworth and Fort
Riley and the institution of fan maneuVer
work accomplish satisfactory results.
The good effect of these maneuvers upon
the national guard is marked and ample
appropriation should be made to enable
the guardsmen of the several states to
share in the benefit. The government
should as soon as possible secure suitable
permanent camp sites for military man
euvers in the various sections of the
country. The service thereby rendered
not only to the regular army, but to the
national guard of the several states. Will
be so great as to repay many times over
the relatively small expense. We should
not rest satisfied with what has been
done. however. The only people who are
contenteu with system of promotion
by mere seniority are those who are con-
tented with the triumph of medocrity
over excellence. On the other hand a
system which encouraged the exercise OF
social or political favoritism in promo
surely be easy to devise method OF
promotion from grade to grade in which
the opinion Of the higher officers OF the
service upon the candidates should be
decisive upon the standing and promotion
OF the latter Just such system now
obtains at West Point. The quality OF
each years work determines the stand
ing of that years class. the man being
dropped or graduated into the next class
in the relative position which his mill
tary superiors decide to be warranted by
his merit. In other words, ability, ener-
gy, fidelity, and all other similar qualities
determine the rank of man year after
year in West Point, and his standing in
the army when he graduates from West
Point: but from that time on. all effort
to find which man is best or worst. and
reward or punish him accordingly is
abandoned: no brilliancy, no amount of
hard work, no eagerness in the perform
ance of duty. can advance him. and no
slackness or indifference that falls short
Of a court-martal offenSe can retard him.
Until this system is changed we cannot
hope that our officers will be of as high
grade as we have right to expect con-
sidering the material upon which We
draw. Moreover, when a man renders
such service as Capt. Pershing rendered
last spring in the Moro campaign, it
ought to be possible to reward him with
out at once jumping him to the grade Of
brigadler general
The Navy.
Shortly after the enunciation OF that ia
now known as the Monroe Doctrine"
President Monroe, in special message 10
congress on January 80, 1924, spoke as fol-
lows: The navy is the arm from which
aid in support of our rights Every
power engaged in war will know the
strength OF our naval power, the number
OF our ships of each class their condition
and the promptitude with which We may
bring them into service, and Will pay due
consideration to that argument"
heartily congratulate the congress upon
the steady progress in building up the
in ths great WORK e Ia san ag s means
to go back There should be no cessation
in adding to the effective units of the fight
ing strength of the fleet Meanwhile he
navy department and the officers of the
navy are doing well their part by provid-
ing constant service al sea under conditions
akin to those of actual warfare. our otfi-
GERS and enlisted men are learning to ham
die the battleships, cruisers and torpedo
boats with high efficiency in fleet ana
squadron formations, and the standard of
mark smanship is being steadily raised.
The best work ashore is Indispensable,
but the highest duty of a naval officer is
to exercise command at sea
The establishment of nava base in the
Philippines ought not to be longer post
poned Such a base is desirable in time of
peace; in time of war it would be inds-
Without II our feet would be helpless Our
naval experts are agreed that Subig bay
Is the proper place for the purpose, The
national interests require that the work
of fertilization and development of a naval
station at Subig bay be begun at an early
late; for under the best conditions 1t is
work which will consume much time
1t Is eminently desirable, however, that
there should be provided a naval general
stan on lines similar to those of the general
staff lately created for the army. Within
the navy department itself the needs of
the service have brought about a system
under which the duties of "A general stan
are partially performed; for the bureau of
navigation has under its direction the war
college. the ONCE of naval intelligence and
the board OF inspection, and has been in
close touch with the general board of the
navy. But though under the excellent Off
GERS at their head these boards and bureaus
do good work, they have not the authority
OF a general staff and have not sufficient
scope to insure a proper readiness for
emergencies. We need the establishment
by law of body OF trained officers, who
shall exercise a systematic control OF the
military affairs Of the navy, and be author
lied advisers OF the secretary concerning it.