The Washington times., 1907-12-03

workman or to the subordinate Official
in civil institutions. Wages have greatly
last forty years and the pay Of the sol
dier like the pay Of the officers, should
be proportionately increased The firsr
sergeant of o company If good man.
must be one of such executive and ad-
ministrative ability. and such knowledge
OF his trade. as TO be worth far more
than we at present pay him. The same
Is true of the regtmental sergeant ma
jor. These men should be men who had
fully resolved to make the army life
occupation and they should be able TO
look forward TO ample reward: while
only men properly qualified should be
given a chance 70 secure these final re-
wards.
The Increase over the present pay
need not be great In the lower
grades for the first one or two en-
Ilstments, but the increase should be
marked for the nOncOmmissioned
officers of the upper grades who
serve long enough to make It evil
dent that they intend TO stay per-
manently in the army while addi-
tiOnal pay should be given for high
qualifications i'm target practice. The
be established and there should be
not only an increase of pay, but an
Increase of privileges and allow
ances and dignity, so as TO make the
grade open TO nOncOmmissiOned off,
GERS capable of filling them desir-
ably from every standpoint.
IN time Of peace IS alarming. The de-
serter should be treated by public opln-
ion as man guilty Of the greatest
crime, while on the other hand the man
wb serves steadily in the army should
be treated as what he S. that IS, as
pre-eminently one OF the best citizens
OF this Republic. After twelve years
service in the army my own belief ls
JhaC the man should be given a prefer
ence according to his ability for certain
types OF Ofiice' over all civilian appli-
cants without examination. This should
also apply, OF course. TO the men who
have served twelve years in me navy
A special corps should be provided to
do the manual labor now necessarily
uer1anded Of the privates themselves.
Weed Out Unfit Officers.
Among the officers there should be
severe examinations to weed out the
unit up 20 the grade of major. From
that position on appointments should be
solely BY selection and II should be IN
cerstoOd that man Of merely average
capacity could never get beyond the
position Of major. while every man who
serves In any grade a certain length OF
time prior to promotion to the next
grade without getting the promotion TO
tho next grade should be forthwith re-
tired.
Tie practice marches and field man
euVers OF the last two or three years
have been invaluable TO the army They
should b. continued and extended A
rigid and not perfunctoTy examina-
ton Of physical capacity has been pro-
vided for the higher grade officers. This
Will work well. Unless an officer has q
good physique, unless he can stand
hardship, ride we'll and walk fairly. lie
Is not nt for any position, even after
he has become a colonel Before he
has eecoms a colonel the need OF physi-
cal fitness in the officer is almost as
great as in the enlisted man. I hope
speedily to see introduced into the army
a far more rigid and thorough going
test of borsemanship for all field Off
GERS than at present. There should he
a CHIEF OF cavalry just as there Is a chief
Perhaps the most important Of all
legislation needed for the benefit of the
army Is law to equaiize and ir--e7vr
the pay of officers and enlisted men Of
the Army. Navy Marine COrps and
Revenue Cutter Service. Such a btu has
been prepared, which IL is hoped will
meet with your favorable consideration
The next most essential measure Is to
authorize a number Of extra officers as
mentioned above. To make the army
more attractive 10 enlisted men IL Is
absolutely essential to create a service
corps, such as exists In nearly every
modern army in the world to DO The
skilled and unskilled labor, inseparaJly
connected with military administrator.
which Is now eXacted. without Just corn-
pensatiOn, or enlisted men who volun-
tarily entered the army to do service of
an altogether different kind. There are
number Of other laws necessary to so
organize the army as TO promote fits ef-
ficiency and facilitate It's rapid expan-
sion in time of war; but the above are
the most important.