The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-08
THE ARMY AND THE NAVY

The effect OF the laws providing a genera
Of FL the end S bas e bssa
Great improvement has been made in the eff
cheney OF our army
THE ARMY . IN cefsn as { ssass e suel
ed at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley and ths
institution Of fall maneuver work accomplish
satisfactory results. The good effect of These
maneuvers upon the National Guard is marked
share in the benefit. The Government should
Gus sections Of the country. The service
to the @atona aSara Of the the
will be 20 great as to repay many times owe,
rest satisfied with what has been done. how
ever. .,u ,,,. 49,. o,.., IT.,
system Of promotion by mere senior ty arc .oss
who are contented with the triumph OF me-
se eares Of
or political fayoritism in promotions would be
W1's sffy on De sfads
grade IN which the opinion of the higher Off;
be decisive upon the standing and promotion o.
the later pe Just such system now obtains a.
determine the standns Of that tn years class.
as being In ,S or into the
bis ism, merit In other words. ability ensrsy.
mine the rank of a man year after year in
West Point. and his standing in the army when
n AZ wet Ind Po %Scb but from n .
or worst. and reward or punish him according y.
is abandoned: no brilliancy. no amount of hard
work. no eagerness In the performance Of duty.
ference tha, falls short Of coartsmart,ai Of
changed hope o as
be Of as high grade as We have right to ex-
draw When MAN pendens sucs
service as Captain Pershink rendered last spring
to reward him without at once Jumping m him TO
the Grade e Brisadier 6 neral
the police
THE NAVY. as follows s9'' .e PIE
which will Is "a aE@ 1asa
q each class. their condition. and the prom n.
viii pay due S5as ,ne% To ,h hG
steady Rrogress in building up the American
navy navy we cannot afford let-up in this great
should be IN aiding 'I e the he sf
sest nlts 81 the e., sh,ns strength Of the
the officers Of the navy are doing well their
part by providing constant service at sea under
Our officers and enlisted men are leaTnIne to
handle , the , sattlseships cruiser. and torpedo
and s,aadara nes' and
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 naval base in the
Philippines ought not to be longer postponed.
time Of war II would be Indispensable. and its
lack would be ruinous. Without it our fleet
agreed that Subj: Bay is the proper place FOR
that the work Of Fertilization and develop
ment of naval station at Subig Bay be begun
at an early date: for under the best conditions
1t Is work which Will consume much time
II f. cminently desirable. however. that there
should he provided naval general stan on
lines similar to those OF the General Staff lately
created for tho army. Within the NAVY ne
partment itself tho needs OF the service have
brought about a system under which tho d,,
ties OF a general stan are partially performed.
for the bureau OF Navigation has under its
direction the War College. the Office Of Naval
InteIligenee and and the Board Of INSPECTION. and
Of tho navy i,;., Bnt though under the excellent
do good work. they have not the authorit~ ~
a general staff. and have not sufficient Some
to insure a proper readiness for emercencies
We need the establishment by law of n bodv
Of trained officers who shall exercise n svss
tematic control Of the military affairs Of ibe
navy and be authorized advisers OF the Sec
rotary concerning IT,.