Arizona republican., 1906-12-05

great responsibility. But the desire of these men to be promoted to positions which they are not competent to fill should not weigh against the interests of the navy and the country. At pres ent our men, especially in the navy. are kept far too long in the junior grades. and then. at much too ad- vanced an age, are put quickly through the senior grades. often not attaining to these senior grades until they are too old to be of real use fin them; and 1 if they are of real use, being put 1 through them so quickly that little benefit to the navy comes from their having been in them at all
 The navy has one great advantage over the army in the fact that the off, cers of high rank are actually trained in the continual performance of their duties; that is. in the management of the battleships and armOred cruisers gathered into fleets. This is not true of the army officers. who rarely have corresponding chances to exercise com mand over troops under service con- ditions. The conduct of the Spanish war showed the lamentable loss of life, the useless extravaganza, and the in efficiency certain to result. if during peace the high officials of the war and navy departments are praised and re- warded only if they save money at no matter what cost to the efficiency of the service. and if the higher officers are given no chance whatever to exer- else and practive command. For years prior to the Spanish war the secre- taries of war were praised chiefly If they practiced economy: which econ omy, especially in connection with the quarteImaster. commissary and medi- cal departments. was directly respOn- sible for most of the mismanagement that occurred in the war itself-and parenthetically be 1t observed that the very people who clamored for the mis- directed economy in the first place were foremost to denounce the mis- management. loss and suffering which were primarily due to this same mis- directed economy and to the lack of preparation it involved There should soon be an increase in the number Of men for our coast defenses; these men should be of the right type and prop
 erly trained; and there should there fore be an increase of pay for certain skilled grades, especially in the coast artillery. Money should be appropri- ated to permit troops to be massed in body and exercised in maneuvers. par ticularly in marching Such exercise during the summer just past has been of incalculable benefit to the army and should under no circumstances be dis continued. If on these practice marches and in these maneuvers elderly officers prove unable to bear the strain they should be retired at once. for the fact is conclusive as to their unfitness for war: that is. for the only purpose be- cause of which they should be allowed to stay in the service. It is a real mis- fortune to have scores of small com pany or regimental posts scattered throughout the country; the army should be gathered in a few brigade or division posts; and the generals should be practiced in handling the men in masses. Neglect to provide for all of this means to incur the risk of future disaster and disgrace.
 The readiness and efficiency of both the army and navy in dealing with the recent sudden crisis in Cuba illustrate afresh their value to the nation. This readiness and efficiency would have been very much less had it not been for the existence of the general staff in the army and the general board in the navy: both are essential to the proper development and use of our military forces afioat and ashore. The troops that were sent to Cuba were handled hawlessly. It was the swiftest mobilization and dispatch of troops over sea ever accomplished by our government The expedition landed completely equipped and ready for i'm mediate service, several of it's organi- zations hardly remaining in Havana over night before splitting up into de- tachments and going to their several posts. It was a fine demonstration of the value and efficiency of the general staff. Similarly. it was owing in large part to the general board that the navy was able at the outset to meet the Cuban crisis with such instant effici- ency; ship after ship appearing on the shortest notice at any threatened point, while the marine corps in particular performed indispensable service. The army and navy war colleges are of incalculable value to the two services. and they cooperate with constantly increasing efficiency and importance. The congress has most wisely pro- vided for a national board for the pro- motion of rifle practice. Excellent re- suits have already come from this law, but it does not go far enough. Our regular army is so small that in any great war we should have to trust mainly to volunteers; and in such event these volunteers should already know how to shoot; for if soldier has the fighting edge. and ability to take care Of himself in the open. his eff ciency on the line of battle is almost directly proportionate to excellence in craftsmanship. We should establish shooting galleries in all the large pub lie and military schools. should main- tain national target ranges in differ ent parts of the couontry, and should in every way encourage the formation of rifle clubs throughout all parts of the land. The little republic of SwitZ- erland offers us an excellent example in all matters connected with building up an efficient citizen soldiery.
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT The White House.
 December 3, 1906.