The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1905-12-05
ARMY AND NAVY

-ETYlIlS " ~
ARMY AND NAVY
We cannot consider the question
Of our foreign policy without at the
same time treating of the Army ana
the Navy. We now have very
small army-indeed, one well-nI g
;nfinitesimal when compared with
the army of any other large natlon'
OF course the Army we do nave
should be as nearly perfect OF It's
kind and for its size as Is possible
I do not believe that any army In the
world has a better average of enlist
I'D man or a better type of junior
officer but the Army should be
.rained to act effectively in mass.
Provision should be made by SUI
fcient appropriations for maneuy-
ers of a practical kind so that the
troops may learn how to take care
If themselves under actual service
conditions; every march, for m
stance. being made fifth the soldier
loaded exactly as he would be in an
,ctiye campaign. The generals ana
,olonels would thereby have opPor-
unity of handling regiments, orl-
rades. and divisions, and the com
n1issarv and medical departments
would be tested IN the field. Pro
vision should be made for the exer-
else at least of a brigade and by
preference of a division in march
ing and embarking at some point on
,,II coost and disembarking at some
other point and continuing us
march. The number of posts IN
which the Army is kept in time OF
peace should be materially diminish
ID and the posts that are left made
.orrespondingly larger No local
interest should be allowed to stand
n the way of assembling the great
r part of the troops which would
+ need form our field armies in sta
ions of such size as will permit the
5est training to be given to the per
-onnel of all grades, including the
',igh officers and staff officers. To
accomplish this end we must have
not company or regimental garrlsons
BUT brigade and division garrlsons
Promotion by mere seniority can
never result in a thoroughly efficient
eorps of officers in the higher ranks
Unless there accompanies it vigor-
rus weeding-out process Such a
yeeding-out Drocess-that is. such
, process of selections chief
rnature of tic four years course o.
he Young officer at West Point.
There is no good reason why It
.hould stop immediatel y upon ms
graduation. While at West Point
he is dropped unless he comes up to
! certain standard of excellence, and
when he graduates he takes rank III
the Army according to his rank OF
radiation. The results are good
It West Point and there should be
IN the Army itself something that
will achieve the same end. Attel
certain age has been reached the
ovrage officer is unfit to do good
work below certain grade. Uro-
vision should be made for the pro
motion of exceptionally meritorlAps
men over tho heads of their com.
rades and for the retirement OF all
men who have reached a given age
without Citing beyond a given rank
this age of retirement OF course
changing from rank to rank. In
both the Army and Navy there
should be come principle of selec-
ton, that is of promotion for merit
and there should be resolute eff
fort to eliminate the aged officers OF
reputable character who possess no
special efficiency.
There should be an increase in
the coast artillery force, so that our
coast Notifications can be in some
degree adequately manned. There
is special nerd for an increase and
reorganization of the Medical De
partment of the Army. in both the
Army and Navy there must be the
same thorough training for duty IN
the staff corps as in the fighting line
Only bu sue:o training IN advance
| can We be sure that IN actual wal