Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-05-24
SHR|NKAGE IN ARMY.
THE MEN FAIL TO RE-ENLIST
IN THE SERVICE.
Poor Pay By The Government Said TO
Be The Cause of This Present
State of Affairs.
BLOoDLESS CAMPAIGN IN PAST
SIX MONTHS.

A serious outlook confronts the
United States army. which is espec-
tally noticeable in the Army of Cuban
Pacification. Men whose term of en-
listment expires, rarely, If ever, re-
enlist and the result is the original
army in Cuba, which numbered G, 500
men of all arms, without including
marines, has now dwindled by the
natural process of discharges at the
expiration of enlistments, 10 8, 500.
The Army transport on which we
went over, took eighty-seven enlisted
men. fifty of whom were marines.
The transport on which we returned
month or so later, brought back to
the states about $50 men whose terms
of enlistment had expired and who
were about To leave the service. The
depletion OF the army is matter of
grave moment. Upon inquiry as TO
the cause, we were told by some of
the men that the pay of an enlisted
man is too small, that the compensa-
tion is not sufficient 10 induce them
to stay in the army.
They can make much more at la bor-
ing work besides in the army the
promotions of the enlisted man are
slow and his chances slim TO become
but little show of passing an exami-
nation to enter the service as second
lieutenant from the ranks, even if he
should succeed in securing much
coveted appointment. Having little
encouragement and less pay held out
to them as an incentive. the enlisted
men choose rather To leave the service
at the expiration of their term of en-
listment, rather than to Te-enlist. In
the efforts to secure Te-enlistments in
the army, headquarters at Marianao
announces that men re-enlisting will
receive three months furlough. Tho
shrinkage in the army owing 10 there
being no re-enlistments and no re-
cruitssis steadily becoming more and
more serious.
There are also under General Barry S
command about l 900 marines on the
Island of Cuba. These it was proposed
to withdraw, but on account of the
difficulty of obtaining recruits suffi-
cient to fill up the ranks of the army
they will be retained in compliance
with the request of General Barry, who
believes that his force is none too
large as it is. OF these troops nearly
1900 quartered in Camp Columbia
form the garrison of Havana, and the
land in thirty posts, eleven of which
are occupied by marines.
Enriched by constant practice in
every department of military exper-
ience save the supreme test of battle,
the Army of Cuban Pacification,
after a bloodless campaign of six
months, may fairly take rank as the
crack corps of forces of the United
States. Without haviRg been called
on to fire a shot or to make a single
hostile demonstration, it has to its
credit a list of achievements of
which officers and men are justly
proud.
Among it's moral triumphs have
been the maintenance of standard
of discipline and sanitation of more
than Japanese excellence and the
preservation of perfect self-control
while in contact with an unsympa-
thetic population. Its greatest ma
terial achievement has been the pro-
duction, based on countless recon-
noissances and surveys, of a chart of
the Island of Cuba which officers de-
clare to be the most minutely perfect
military map in existence. With the
completion of this work, the possibil-
ity of successful carrying on guerilla
tactics, such as formerly enabled the
Cubans indefinitely to prQlong their
revolutions against the overwhelming
force of Spain, may be said to have
vanished.
should the United States troops ever
be called upon TO take the field in
Cuba they will begin the campaign
with the inestimable advantage of
perfect familiarity with the topogra-
ply of the whole island, including
every trail and bypath and every
mountain fastness in which Gomez,
Garcia, Maceo and other heroes of the
war for independence were wont to
bid defiance to Spanish pursuit. Added
to this, the increase in railroad facil-
tiles and the completion of the pro-
jected system of highways throughout
the island will afford such ready
means for the rapid transportation of
troops as will make any attempt at
hostile concentration little short Of
impossible.
General Barry's latest contribution
to the comfort of the men has been
the establishment of bathing quarters
at Marianao beach, within a short
walk of the camp. Attendance at the
bathing station is compulsory and
every man is compelled to practice,
under the direction of a bathing mas
ter, until he can swim continuously
/ for at least ten minutes.
To such measures as these is due the
wonderfully high standard of health
maintained in the army, which COM
pares more than favorably with con
| ditions in garrisons in the States. The
sick list averages only per cent.
l. IL