The sun., 1905-09-13
General Wood on Army Reform.

The announcement by General WOOD,
in his recently submitted annual report,
that the last active band OF outlaws
in Mindanao has been exterminated is
gratifying. As an exterminator, whether
of outlaws or stegomyia, General WooD
seems to be sucoess, and We trust there
will be no recrudescence Of the one in
Mindanao or OF the other in Cuba.
In connection with his report on local
conditions in his bailiwick, General WooD
submits list Of recommendations for
the improvement Of our army. Some
OF these apply to the service in the south
ern Philippines, and some to the service
in general. Most Of the latter are mere
repetition of proposals. and recommen-
dations which have been current in army
circles from time which long antedates
General WOODS exchange of the insignia
of the medical corps for that of the line.
Though far from original, some OF them
are important, and their emphasis by
general officers of recent promotion can
do no possible harm.
Among the recommendations for i'm
provement in local conditions we note
two which are suggestive. One is for
the use of native lumber in the construc-
ton of army buildings instead Of i'm
ported lumber, and the other is for the
feeding of army horses on native grasses
instead Of on imported hay. These are
sensible recommendations and should
be adopted il native lumber Is to be had
OF suitable quality and at cheaper
prices than that exported from Puget
Sound, and if the horses will eat the
native grasses and thrive on them as
well as they will on baled hay from the
United States. This issue, however,
raises a question not unlike that which
appeared not long ago in the matter
of supplies for the Panama canal. IL
would favor Philippine industries at
the expense of American interests, and
complicate the problem which Secre-
tary TAFT hopes to bring to happy
conclusion as result OF his personally
conducted expedition.
There are other suggestions in the
report. One is that increased mobility
OF the soldier would follow the shorten
ing of the overcoat now Issued to him.
This is doubtless a correct view, though
i: is subject to modification. A short
overcoat, like that supplied to'the British
soldier, might be as undesirable at an
army post in Montana as long overcoat
would be in the jungle back OF Fam
boanga. The objection to the blue fannel
shirt on the ground that it makes q
better target than brown or khaki is
sound but local. Khaki is undoubtedly
better for use in the tropics. The argu-
ment for daily instruction and frequent
practise marches under full equipment.
borrowed from the German system, has its
supporters and its opponents. Its great
est weakness perhaps lies in the fact that
| the American soldier has thus far shown
q disposition and fair ability to get
there" with or without full equipment.
For long marches we supply him with a
| bagga ge train, a service which, as General
WooD says, ought to be vastly improved
by specialization. On short or forced
marches our men have q seemingly
irresistible impulse to throw away every
thing except gun, cartridges and can
teen. In cool climates they may hang
on to the blanket roll. In the march of
] the allies on Pekin, the mobility Of the
( American troops was not a subject Of
general criticism.
1t is well that soldiers should be taught
to swim, but swimming with full equip