Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1907-12-05

~ sHS government, and what collections
nave neen acquired are scattered and are
generally placed In unsuitable and inner.
fectly lighted galleries. -''S'
Not only there is not now. but there
never mas been. any other nation IN the
THE Army. There el never Il has ~ S Seen
ton not even Chin. any b ashef for Large
z period has had relatively to it, = nuns .rs
oers 10 small q regular army a. has
~ thi Se n.,s. at any time In os- history
tsSoular army been OF a sixe which caused
Tue sMgntest appreciable tax upon the
, taapsay,,n I!. citizens of the nation. Al
sixe ana underpaid. Never in our entire
nistory has the nation suffered in the
i hss parti .,,l because too much care
prominence given it, too much money
Spent upon 1t, or because 1t has been too
s ,arse; E Sn :. again and again we have
Deen given to 1t. because it has been too
small. because there has not been SUM
c c,ss Pr pasation in advance for possible
Vat. War; s'veIy foreign war in which We
amount which. II wisely expended DURING
inc inc preceding years of peace on the regu-
a lar army; would have insured the war
and but for = frae sl5n Of the cost that
was actually the case. As nation we
nave nave always been shortsighted in pro-
time OF peace. 1t Is nobody's especial in
terest to make such provision and no one
l no.te, ah head to war at any period, no
possibility; while an improper economy
or rather niggardliness. can be practiced
AZ tne EXPENSE of the army with the cer-
csed to aSss sheleEor S w tRs
the price will be paid BY the unfortunate
persons who happen to be in Office when
war does actually come.
,.. 6ut again and again in the past our
little regular army has rendered service
literally vital to the country and it may
At at any anytime time have to do 30 In the future.
y higher now than ever in the past. But
It ts too small. There are not enough
enn.yS; a and i is Impossible To- secure
OF large army great and long con-
tinued war would have to be fought by
volunteers. But months would pass be-
lore fore any large body Of efficient volun-
teerS could be put in the field. and our
regular army should be large enough to
meet any immediate need. In particular
number OF extra officers trained in peace
to perform efficiently the duties urgently
required pn upon, upon the breaking out Of war.
army in war. Yet at present It is smaller
than than the needs Of the service demand
ven ~ psaSS. lue Spanish war occurred
we suffered in ii was by disease among
the regiments which never left the coun-
. Try; AZ the moment the nation seemed
ingly 1t has already been forgotten. for
not the slightest effort has been made to
prepare medical corps of sufficient size
aster On much larger scale il we SHOULD
ever be engaged in serious conflict
the trouble 1,s BE in the Spanish war was not
department: 1t was with the representa-
tives of the people az whole who, for
the preceding thirty years. had declined
army Unless ample provision is now
made by congress to put the medical
corps where it should be put disaster in
sponsibilitv will not lie with those men
in charge of the war department but
with those who now decline to make the
edea sorps w ssaned sefora
the advent of war in all the important
administrative duties of military SAINT
tary corps is essential to the efficiency
large volunteer army. Such knowledge
Cf medicine and surgery as is possessed
Sy the ,o medical profession generally WI.
military. surgeon. He must have. in adj
dition, knowledge. of the administration
md sanitation of large field hospitals and
and lives Of men intrusted in great num-
bers to his care, A bill has long been
pending before the congress. for the re-
organization of the medical corps: itD
passage is urgently needed.
But the medical department is not the
only department for which increased pro-
vision should be made: The rate of pay
creased: there is no higher type of citizen
than the American regular officer and
he should have a fair reward for his adj
mirable work. There should be rela-
NJ IN "a ma "
for the enlisted men. In especial pro-
vision should be made for establishing
grades equivalent to those of warrant
to the enlisted men who serve sufficiently
long to encourage really good men to
make the army life occupation. The
cure and retain competent non-commis
Stoned officers. This difficulty rests fun
namentallY on the question of pay. The
spond with an unskilled laborer; he cor
responds to the best type of skilled work
man or to the subordinate official in civil
creased in outside occupations in the last
forty years and the pay of the soldier
like the pay. Of the officers, should be
geant Of company, If a good nan. must
be one OF such executive and aIninistra-
tive ability. and such knowledge of his
as 20 pe worth lar ofe nan " az
fegimental sergeant major. These men
should be men who had fully resolved to
make the, army q life occupation and
ample reward: while. only men properly
qualified should be given chance to Sc
cure these final rewards.
The increase over the present day need
first one or two enlistments. but the in
crease should be marked for the nom
commissioned officers of the upper grades
who serve long enough to make it evident
I'M nofn Vl6aVfO OF in
Tn the army. while additional pay should
be given for high qualifications In target
practice. The position of warrant officer
should be established and there should be
crease of privileges and allowances and
dignity, SO as to make the grade open to
bon conmissioned officers capable of fill
Ing them desirably from. every stand
point. The rate of desertioh in our army
now in time of peace is alarming. The
deserter should be treated by public opin-
while on the other hand the man who
herves steadily in the army should be
treated as what he Is. that is. as pre-
one OF the best etzens 81 this
the army my own belief is that the man
should be given preference according
TO his ability for certain types Of Office
course. to the men who have served
twelve years In the navy. 4 special corps
enOuld be provided 10 do the manual Ia
Dor now necessarily demanded of the pri-
yates themselves.
Among the officers there should be Sc
we're examinations to weed out the unfit
up to the grade of major From that po-
sition on appointments should be solely
by selection. and it should be understood
hat 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
20 promotion to the next grade without
Getting the promotion to the next grade
Should be forthwith retired. TAe practice
marches and Reld maneuvers of the last
:wO or. three years have been invaluable