Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-10
TO IMPROVE THE ARMY
GEN. FUNSTON FAVORS AN IN
CREASE IN THE PAY.
Believes That the Standard Should Be
as High as That Of the Cana
dian Mounted Police.

Brigadier General Frederick Funston.
Commanding the Department of the Co.um-
bia, in his annual report says that addition
al observation and conversation with or
ficeTs confirms him in the views expressed
in his previous report that there should be
a substantial increase in the pay of the en-
listed men of the army in order that better
men may be obtained and kept in the serV-
ice.
There can scarcely be a doubt" says
Gen. Funston. that such action would
bring into the army vastly superior body
of men who would remain in the service
1t is doubtful If an increase over present
rates of pay of - per cent for noncommis-
stoned officers and 30 per cent for privates
would be more expensive than under pres
ent rates, when so much time and money
are wasted in trying to make soldiers out
of the inferior class of men who constitute
at least half of the rank and file of the
army today. There is no reason why the
United States army should not be composed
of as fine a body of men as Is the northwes-
tern mounted police of Canada. an org1ni-
cation in which so high standard has been
reached that desertion or misconduct of
any kind is almost unheard of, and in which
the officers do not hesitate to trust even
the privates with duties requiring integrity
and no small degree of good judgment. 1t
is recommended that legislation be request
in the navy personnel bill.
To Improve the Rations.
1.-THE recommendations made a my last an
nuai report that legislation be asked for
approprating sum to be divided pro ra;a
among the funds of the various organiZa-
lions fer the purchase of articles not in
cludei in the ration Is renewed. One dollar
per month for each man should be sufa
believed
copduce more to cOntentment among the en-
listed men than providing them with gym
nasiums and amusement rooms, desirable
and useful as the latter undoubtedly are.
The recommendation made in the same
report that inmates of the guard house sub
slst on hard bread. salt meat vegetables
and water is also renewed
The Alaska Military Telegraph.
Gen. Funston says that the construction
and maintenance of the Alaskan military
telegraph line has been of almost inestima-
bic value in maintaining communication be-
tween department headquarters and the va
rious posts In Alaska and incidentally of
great service to the residents Of Alaska, es-
Decially as mail service in the interior Is
necessarily slow and uncertain
The line was interrupted a total OF two
hundred and six times during the year, due
mainly to severe storms billiards., sleet and
ice high winds, forest fires. enlargement
of animals in the insulated wire lying on
the ground, etc
The longest interruption occurred during
the month of August between Tolavana ana
Cinema covering a period of eighteen days,
due to forest fires. The next longest inter-
ruption was for seventeen days anu lour
hours and occurred between Goodpaster ana
Salcha during the same month, caused py
forest fires Burning trees falling on the
line caused twenty-six breaks In a distance
of twenty-four miles