The Elbert County tribune., 1906-10-18
ARMY
1T is NO LARGER NOW THAN Is
NECESSARY.
BARELY TWENTY THOUSAND
General Wood Tells Why We Need a
Large Garrison In the isiands---
Principal Trouble Is Now With
Pulujanes In samar.


Principal Trouble is Now With
Pulujanes In samar.
Washington.-An argument againsi
the reduction in the number OF troops
in the Philippines is made by Mai
Gen. Leonard Wood, commanding that
division, in his annual report The tr-
tai garrison June 30th last numbered
20 0i3. We are far from home," says
General Wood. "and in case of foreign
disturbance. even with all troops con
centrated at Manila. the force avail
able will be barely sufficient to defend
It from a serious attack. Moreover, a
strong garrison should be maintained
here until conditions pertaining TO tho
civil government are well established
al the anlmosities and disappoini-
ments incident to the building up OF II
local government under new and per
haps strained conditions have passed
away"
General Wood suggests adding some
artillery to the present garrison and
sending to the Philippines one squac-
ron of each OF the cavalry regiments
in the United States.
The policy has been adopted of con
centrating white troops in the imme-
diate vicinity of the large Moro cen.
ters and holding small outposts with
scouts, rendering IL possible to move
comparatively large commands into
hostile country without uncovering
number OF posts and at the same time
providing the white troops with good
barracks and quarters.
The Department of the Visayas has
been in good order except in tho island
of Samar, through most of which have
operated a large number of Ignorant
| fanatics of low type known as Pulu-
james whose principal object seemed
| to have been to destroy the coast
towns and people in ''the most ruth
| less and brutal manner" General
| Wood says the movement originated
| In the unfair treatment of the people
Of the interior by traders and people
Of the coast towns. A widespread
condition of lawlessness and resist
ance to the government exists in this
| island. Seventeen companies OF scouts
| and number OF companies OF in
fantry are now carrying on the cam
paign and the Pulujanes are operating
in small bodies, seldom making any
serious attempt to resist the troops so
| 1t is believed their operations win
soon be brought to an end.
| Public order has greatly improved
| In Mindanao As there is a largo Mo
hammedan element there and uncx-
| pected disturbances may occur as tho
result of action of religious fanatics
returning from Mecca. the report says
the garrisons should be concentrated.
| General Wood says there is n largo
number of officers in the service who
entered during the war with Spain and
afterward. and are not of typo de-
sired in time OF peace. Also there lre
many field officers too old for their po-
| sitions. A man past fifty years OF nge
In n subordinate position. he says, viii
not fill very efficiently an important
position involving responsibility in his
remaining years of service. Deserving
colonels having less than five years to
| serve should be promoted and retired.
for the policy OF making general ofil-
GERS of men with only year or two OF
active service ahead of them would
take the initiative and energy out OF
| the best army ever created, says Cen
eral Wood. and he also urges that not
only should this government have a
| system of elimination, but at least a
4 percentage. say two in five, of all pro-
i motions should be by selection. Cen
eral Wood recommends that hereafter
i English khaki be purchased in tho
East and made up into clothing for
troops in the Philippines instead OF
using the khaki clothing made in tho
| United states, thereby eHectlnB
large saving. He says the Ensiiah
khaki is of lighter weight. more per-
manent color, more durable and better
4 suited for tropical wear.
Il A great battle is being waged
against malaria by the army surgeons,
with satisfactory results.
General Wood recommends repeat
ing shotguns and ammunition. four for
each company; advocates buckshot as
used by the constabulary against bolo
rushes and service in the brush: sup
4 plying troops with bolos when engaged
in the jungle country to hack their
way through the heavy vines and
brush. Hand grenades are also much
needed in service against the Moros.
i General Wood recommends the Gre
alton OF militia artillery to man the
sea coast defenses at short notice; the
substituting OF the back-pack instead
Of the blanket roll, and the dispatch Of
number Of officers to Japan and
China and to acquire the language
there ut is highly probable" he said.
that our position in the Philippines
Will render It important that We
should have a number of officers fami-
/ liar with these languages"