Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-10
STRENGTH OF THE ARMY

First Report or Gen. A1nSWortn III hhS
New Capacity-Work Has Been
Kept Up to Date.
General Ainsworth has made his first re-
port as the military secretary of the army
giving a detailed account OF the operations
OF the office of adjutant general ana the
record and pension Office as now CONSOLE
dated into the military secretary's ONCE
during the past year. The total strength
OF the army June 80 last is given as 3,sIl
officers and 65. 9+6 enlisted men. The total
deaths during the year were 20 officers and
534 enlisted men. The army In the Philip
pines includes 721 officers and 12OO2 enlisted
men OF the regular army. and 100 officers
and 1887 enlisted men of the Philippine
Scouts.
Army Enlistments.
The total number Of enlistments and re-
enlistments In the army during the year,
exclusive of the Hospital Corps and the
Philippine Scouts. was 2I.3SO or the &C
cepted applicants 23.464 were native born,
1862 were of foreign birth and DO were
born in Porto Rico; p. $40 were white. LAS
were colored. 32 were Indians. ~ Porto
Ricans and 80 were Fflipinos.
The original enlistments numbered q OOS
and the re-enlistments 6.372. The percent-
age of native born among original enlist
msnts was SS7
The reports show that the recruiting OFF,
GERS making the 26.791 enlistments en-
braced in the first two items of the fore
going list rejected 81. 452 applicants, or
about 10 per cent of the whole number,
lacking in either mental, moral or physical
qualifcat ions 2 2S5 OF these were rejected
as aliens and COS as illiterates.
Atnlu RI hat
not seem practicable to secure the services
of military surgeons for duty at recruiting
stations, II is all the more necessary that
depots for recruits shall be established.
and shall be provided with an adequate
force of medical officers to perform the
duties of examination and inspection and
with suitable facilities for the retention of
the recruits under observation and instruc-
ton during a probation period of reason
able length.
Receipts Of Post Exchanges.
During the year the aggregate receipts
OF post exchanges in operation in the army
so far as reports have been received
amounted to 81 .764. 393.51. as against ST.
4G8. 148.7 10 during the preceding fiscal year.
and there was received. as money on de-
posit. $40. 90. making total amount Of
money received 81, T93. 1904.
The net value of these exchanges-that Is
to say. the balance of their combined as
sets over tnelr lldDlutleS-WdS, on June ~,
1904. +O9.OOSO3, as against $3.50. 1860 on
June 81, 1903. The total number of ex-
changes closed during the fiscal year was
%; the total number of new exchanges es-
tablished IS; and the total number in op-
Grafton on June 30, 1904. 14S
The number or persons committed to the
Government Hospital for the Insane under
order of the Secretary of War during the
year ended August 81 last was 49, of whom
Z were officers and the remainder enlisted
men.
The Organized Militia.
Gen. Ainsworth says that very satisfac-
tory progress has been made toward bring
ing the organized militia of the several
states and territories respecting armament.
equipment and discipline to a condition
equal to that of the regular army especially
with regard to the two elements first nam
ed. The general results of the special In
spectlons, he says, show great advance
IN zeal. efficiency, care of arms, uniforms
ETC.; also that both officers and men had
acquired a clearer comprehension of their
duty TO the state and national governments
They also show that the militia is grad
ually being brought to conform to the sys-
tenn OF the United States army with regard
to military instruction and discipline
vi total of S.52S officers and 100 391 men
composing the organized militia of the sew
eral states and territories, 6.966 officers and
oS.lo2 men were present at the special in
specuons Comparison with the attendance
d a.
crease In the number of absentees which
number. 1t is not doubted. says Gen. Aims
worth. VIII be further lessened In future.
Record and Pension Office.
Regarding the clerical force of the office.
Gen. Ainsworth saws:
since the organization OF the record and
pension division. subsequently the record
ana pension effice in 1889. the clerical force
1 Oh me ONCE has been greatly reduced. Up
81 rod
were the result OF the adoption of improved
business methods aggregated 454 In num-
Der. representing an annual saving of more
Ihan half million dollars In salaries alone
10 this should be added a reduction of N
IN the number OF employees provided for I'm
me appropriation for the record and pen
SION ONCE Tor the last fiscal year reDre-
senting further saving of more than s1h
90 per annum. the total reductions and
savings up TO June 30, 1904. specifically stat
an aprn's, $oa clerks or other employees and
priatons Tor the clerical force Of the office
IN the preceding statement no account
Is r Iaken OF the transfers to the record and
pension ONCE during the last fiscal wear
from other bureaus of the War Department
Under the orders OF the Secretary of War
o 1ao5 august ~. August 70 and September %.
icUb; and January %. 1904. transferring TO
IL tho business, records and EMPLOYEES of
certain divisions and sections of other bu
reaus' the force of the record and pension
ONCE was Increased by lO4 employees OF all
grades These are not included in the mum
Der OF employees OF the adjutant generars
office consolidated with those of the record
and pension office under the act OF April
25. 1901. creating the military secretary's
office. Under that act 161 employees of the
ad1utant generals Office were Consolidated
with those of the record and pension office
Inc total number of employees OF the consol.
idated office allowed by law at the date or
consolidation being T02 OF all grades. I34 OF
whom. among those previously belonging to
the adJutant generals Office. were on the
temporary roll.
Great credit is due to the employees OF
the consolidated force for their zeal and
efficiency and their hearty cooperation with
the military secretary In bringing up the ar
rears OF business of the transferred d.
visions and In placing the newly created
ONCE upon satisfactory basis for the fu-
ture discharge OF the important duties as
signed to 1t by law"
Work Kept Up to Date.
Gen. Ainsworth says that notwithsta ndIne
the largely increased work OF the record
and pension office. resulting from the trans-
fer to 1t OF business previously transacted
In other bureaus OF the department all In
Yolving the action on $50 40 cases of all
Kinds. including pension cases. the work of
the ONCE has been kept constantly I'D to
date. Oh per cent of the cases received hay-
AtaraEN