The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-12-06

l&matiOn against non-extStGnt evil,
one which never has existed in this
country, and which has not the
slightest chance of appearing here.
We are glad to help in any move
ment for international peace, but
this is because we sincerely believe
that it is our duty to help all such
provided they are sane
and rational, and not because there
Is any tendency toward militarism on
our part which needs to be cured.
The evils we have to fight are those
in connection with industrialism, not
Industry Is always
necessary, just as war Is sometimes
necessary. Each has its price. and
industry In the United States now
exacts, and has always exacted, a far
heavier toll OF death than all our
wars put together. The statistics of
the railroads of this country for the
year ended June 80, 1906, the last
contained in the annual statistical
report of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, show in that one year
a total of 1882 casualties to per-
sons, of which 1O,61S represent the
number of persons killed. In that
wonderful hive of human activity,
Pittsburg, the deaths due to indus
trial accidents in 1906 were 919, all
the result of accidents in mills, mines
or on railroads. For the entire
country, therefore, it is safe to say
that the deaths due to industrial ac-
cidents aggregate in the neighber-
hood Of twenty thousand a year.
Such a record makes the death rate
in all our foreign wars utterly triv-
ial by comparison. The number of
deaths in battle in all the foreign
wars put together, for the last CEN
tury and quarter, aggregate con-
siderably less than one years death
record for our industries. A mere
glance at these figures is sufficient
to show the absurdity Of the out
cry against militarism.
But again and again in the past
our little regular army has rendered
service literally vital to the country,
and it may at any time have to do
so in the future It's standard. of
efficiency and instruction is higher
now than ever in the past. But it
is too small. There are not enough
officers, and it is impossible to Sc
cure enough enlisted men. We
should maintain in peace a fairly
complete skeleton of a large army.
A great and long-continued war
would have to be fought by volun-
teers. But months would pass be-
fore any large body of efficient vol
unteers could be put in the field,
and our regular army should be
large enough to meet any immed1-
ate need In particular it is essen
ton that we should possess num-
Der of extra officers trained in peace
to perform efficiently the duties ur-
gently required upon the breaking
out of war.
The Medical Corps should be
much larger than the needs of our
regular army in war. Yet at pres
ent it. is smaller than the needs of
the service demand even in peace.
The Spanish war occurred less than
ten wears ago. The chief loss We
suffered in it was by disease among
the regiments which never left the
country. At the moment the ma
ton seemed deeply impressed by
this fact; yet seemingly it has al
ready been forgotten, for not the
slightest effort has been made to
prepare a medical corps of suffici-
enJ size to prevent the repetition OF
ths5 same disaster on much larger
scsAes If we should ever be engag-
ed in a serious conflict The trou-
BILE IN the Spanish war was not with
the then existing officials of the
War Department.; it Was with the
of the people as
whole who for the preceding thirty
years.. had declined tor make the
necessary provision for the army.
Unless ample provision lss now made
by congress to put the Msdfcal Corps
where It should be put disaster in
the next war is inevitab and the
will not lie with those
then in charge of the War Depart
ment, but with those who now de-
cline to make the necessary provis-
ion A we'll organized medical corps,
thoroughly trained before the ad-
vent of war in all the important ad-
duties of a. military
sanitary corps, is essential 20 the ef-
f1ciency of any large army and es-
pecially of a large volunteer army.
Such knowledge Of medicine and
surgery as is possessed by the med
ical profession generally will not
alone suffice to make an efficient
military surgeon. He must have, in
addition, knowledge of the admins
tration and sanitation of large field
hospitals and camps, in order to
safeguard the health and lives Of
men intrusted in great numbers to
his care A bill has long BEEN pend
ing before. the congress for the re-
organization of the Medical Corps;
it's passage is urgently needed.
But the medical department is not
the only department for which in
creased provision should bse. made.
The rate of pay for the officers
should be greatly increased; there is
no higher type of citizen than the
American regular officer, and he
should have a fair reward for his
admirable work. There should be
a relatively even greater increase in
the pay for the enlisted men. In
especial provision should be made
for establishing grades equivalent to