Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-06
NEEDS OF ARMY AND
NAVY DEPARTMENTS
ARE CONSIDERED

AhE CUNSlUEhEU
We cannot consider the question of
cur foreign policy without at the same
time treating of tn : army and the
navy. We now have a very small army
indeed. one well-inigh infinitesimal
when compared with the army of any
other large nation. Cf course the army
we do have should be as nearly perfect
of it's kind and for its size as is pos
sible. 1 do not believe that any army
in the world has a better average of
enlisted man or a better type of junior
officer; but the army should be trained
to act effectively in a mass Provision
should be made by sufficient apprOpria-
tions for maneuvers of a practical kind
so that the troops may learn how to
take care of themselves under actual
service conditions; every march, for in
stance, being made with the soldier
loaded exactly us he would be in an
active campaign. The generals and
colonels would thereby have opportunity
of handling regiments, brigades and di-
visions, and the commisSary and medi-
cal departments would be tested in the
field.
Exercise in Larger Masses
Provision should be made for the
exercise at least of u brigade and by
preference of a division in marching
and embarking at some point on our
coast and disembarking at some other
point and continuing it's march. The
number of posts in which the army is
kept in time of peace should be mate
rally diminished and the posts that are
left made correSpondingly larger. No
local interests should be allowed to
stand in the way Of assembling the
greater part of the troops which would
at need form our field armies in sta
tions of such size as will permit the
best training to be given to the person.
mel of all grades, including the high
officers and staff officers. To accom-
pliRh this end we must have not COM
pany or regimental garrisons, but brig
ade and division garrisons. Promo
ton by mere seniority can never result
i'm a thoroughly efficient corps of Off
GERS in the higher ranks unless there
accompanies it a vigorous wedding out
process. Such a wedding out process
that is, such a process of selection-is
a chief feature OF the four years
course of the young officer at West
Point. There is no good reason why it
should stop Immediately upon his
gradua tion While at West Point he is
dropped unless he comes up to a cer-
tain standard of excellence, and when
he graduates he takes rank in the army
according TO MS runk OF Sfduua ton
Promotion by Merit
The results are good al West Point
and there should be in the army itself
something that will achieve the same
end. After a certain age has been
reached the average officer is unfit to
do good work below a certain grade.
Provision should be made for the pro-
motion of exceptionally mertorious mer
t1Na pf 1safT on Il
for the retirement Of all men who have
reached Il given age without getting
beyond d given rank; this age of re-
tirement of course changing from rank
TO rank. In both the army and navy
there should be some principle of Sc
lection that is of promotion for merit
and there should be a resolute effort
10 eliminate the aged officers OF
reputable character who possess no spe-
cial efficiency.
Increase Coast Artillery
There should be an increase in the
coast artillery force. so that our coast
Notifications can be in some degree
adequately manned. There is specia
need for an increase and reorganiza.
ton of the medical department of the
army. In both the army and navy there
must be the same thorough training foi
duty in the staff corps as in the fight
ing line. Only by such training in ad.
vance can we be sure that in actua
war field operations and those at sea
will he carried on successfully. The
importance of this was shown conclu.
sively in the Spanish American and the
Russo-Japanese wars. The work of the
medical departments of the Japanes,
army and navy is especially worthy
of study. 1 renew my recommendation
of January o, 1905, as to the medica
department Of the army, and call at
tention to the equal importance of the
needs of the STAFF corps of the navy
In the medical department of the nav,
the first In Importance is the reorgani
zation of the hospital corps, on the line
Of the Gallinger bill Is. 1884. February
/ 1900, and the reapportionment o.
the different grades OF the medical Off
GERS to meet service requirements.
seems advisable also that medical off
GERS of the army and navy should haV,
similar rank and pay I'm their respective
grades, so that their duties can be car
ried on without friction when they ar,
brought together. The base hospital
of the navy should be put IN condition
to meet modern requirements and hos
ital ships be provided. Unless we nov
provide with ample forethought for tn
medical needs OF the army and nav,
plaallng suffering of a preyentabl
kind is sure 10 occur II ever the eoun
try goes 20 war. IL is not reasonabl
70 expect successful administration 4