Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-29
General Baldwin Believes in,
Army Athletics.
TRIED IN SOUTHWEST
RESULTS, he SAYS, HAVE BEEN
IN EVERY WAY SUCCESSFUL.
Convinced That the Physical Training
Of the Soldier is as Important
as Target Practice.

army. He believes that each regiment of
cavalry In the service should be furnish
eu with full equipment for polo team
except ponies. such equipment to belong
70 the government, and to be used by the
various members of the regiment who
may at different times comprise the regi-
mental polo team. He also believes that
each member of the regimental polo team
should be allowed sufficient forage to
reed his polo ponies He thinks that for
the cavalry branch of the service there Is
no better form of physical training than
that derived from polo
IN mis- annual report for the southwestern
9Ivlsion for the year ended June 80 last
brig. Gen. Frank D. Baldwin recommends
tnat the physical training Of the soldier be
recognized as part of his daily duties and
that uniform method of imparting the
training to him be established throughout
the army. He declares that In the south
western division the physical training Of
the soldier, by means of some form Of ath-
letics. has become a part of the soldiers
daily duty and that the results have been
successful in every way up to the present
time. He adds:
Physical Training Of the Soldier.
II am convinced that the physical train
ing of the soldier is not only as important
and necessary as his training in target
practive, but success in the latter depends
upon the proper application of the former.
For. without the proper physical condition,
the soldier cannot endure the hardships In
cident TO a campaign and which always
precede the actual combat, nor can he
stand the excitement and nervous ten
sion bound to be encountered in the act
ual conflict. So, in order to have a suffi-
Gent number of men in the fighting line,
when the occasion demands the same, and
then to have men who can shoot with
precision and accuracy, we must put all
zs,.~- Il
veloping their muscles, endurance &C.,
along with the target training. One is as
important as the other and is a compile
ment OF the other.
Promoting Rife Practice.
The report states that the steps taken
by the national board for the promotion of
rifle practice have had an excellent effect
in that division The number of teams,
representing the various states and terri
tories of the division at the national COM
petition at Sea Girt this year, showed an.
increase in the number of teams over those
sent last year, thus displaying a greater in
tereSt than heretofore.
Gen. Baldwin states that the continuance
of posts of less than battalion Of four
companies is very expensive, as the NUM-
Der OF civilian employees and extra duty
men is about as large for a two-company
post as 1t is for four-company post He
therefore recommends that at all posts
WHICH may De occupied IOr any length OF
time there be stationed at least four COM
panies, and that all smaller posts be abaE-
doned.
The general makes the recommendation
that officers and enlisted men entering tar
get competitions be entered In separate
classes so as to avoid all shadow of favor.
He says this will become more feasible
with the adoption of the new rifle.
To Check Desertion.
General Baldwin concurs in the opinion
of the inspector general of the division
that assertions are principally among re-
cruits, who generally use the government
as a means of transportation to new
country. The inspector general recon-
mends that the pay of private be in
creased to SIS month He says that while
this increase would not stop all desertions
it would make those who do remain more
contented with their occupation. He fur
Their adds that he believes the return to
the system Of recruiting depots will be very
beneficial in preventing desertiOn, as the
recruit cannot readily use the govern
ment to transport him to a new country.
He will learn something about the duties
of soldier before he joins his regiment,
and will be more fitted for his new sur
roundings. The inspector general states
that the lack of amuSements and the abb
sence of the canteen also has it's effect on
desertion.
General Baldwin adds to the above re-
marks that the apparent absence from their
companies of great number of captains
has an important bearing upon desertion.
the companies being commanded by junior
officers of little experience. He says that
statistics show in some cases that the COM
panies commanded by junior officers have
than other companies stationed at the same
posts.