Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-11-25
HARD TO OBTAIN RECRUITS
COMPLAINT OF THE ADJUTANT
GENERAL.
Military Establishment Over 5000
Men Short OF Authorized Strength.
Demand for Legislation.

The difficulty Of obtaining recruits
for the army. the prevalence of the
crime OF desertion, with the reasons
therefor, and an unwelcome suggestion
that the dreaded European system Of
Consumption, or compulsory military
service. may become necessary to main
tain the United States army at it's
maximum strength are the features of
the annual report Of the adjutant gen.
eral Of the army. The interesting subject
Of the status and future Of the national
militia was dealt with in a special re-
port by the same officer. heretofore
published, and this report Is devoted
principally to the personnel Of the reg
ular army. Says the adjutant general:
notwithstanding the most strenuous
EFFORTS on the part of the War Depart
ment and the recruiting officers and
their parties in all parts of the country.
it has been found impossible wholly to
make good the losses occurring in the
present strength Of the army, to say
nothing Of increasing that strength to
the limit authorized by law and execu-
tive order. The government, in it's eff
forts to procure men for the army, is
now competing everywhere with pri-
vate employers who are able to offer
men much greater inducements than
the government now offers. at least in
lions continue there will be nothing
for the government to do but to meet
this competition by materially increas-
ing the soldiers pay or to evade the
competition altogether by resort to
conscription.'
Causes for the Shortage.
AS to the causes for this state Of af-
fairs the adjutant general says they are
the same to a considerable extent as
those which lead to desertion. During the
last fiscal year there were 1852 deser-
tions-56 per cent of the army, as against
IA per cent during the preceding year.
Reasons for the decrease are not difficult
to find, according to the report. They are,
in BRIEF the substitution of confinement
in the military prison at Fort Leaven-
worth for confinement at military posts
as a. punishment for desertion; the dis
| continuance of final enlistments at re-
cruiting stations with the resulting elimi-
nation Of the large percentage of men
who are reasonably certain to desert
within few days after enlistment I'M
der the old system and the other rea-
| sons, already referred to, which prevent
the full recruitment Of the army.
These are: The low rate of pay as COM
pared with that obtaining in civil life:
dissatisfaction with the hard work of
pfacLlce marches, QrlllS, the fatlRue du-
ties necessary to- keep a post in good
condition; the abolition of the canteen
failure of recruits to appreciate the OBJ
legations Of contract and their ignorance
of the character Of the crime of deser-
ton; frequent changes of company Of
fcers, due to shortage of officers, and
the lack Of experienced, capable, well
paid and satisfied non-commissoned off,
| GERS. The report states that the means
for the removal of most of these causes
are obvious. and are to considerable ex-
| tent beyond the control of the War De-
| partment, in that 1t will require legisla-
| ton by Congress both to increase the pay
| and to restore the canteen.
Far Below Authorized Strength.
The actual strength of the entire mill
| tary establishment October Is last was
| 5S,99S men, including $3.50 officers, but
| not including 3,40O men of the Hospital
Corps, so that the establishment was
1851 men short of its authorized
| strength. The deficiency on the CORE
spending date of the preceding year was
1880 men. Therefore, says the report,
the enlisted strength of the army de-
| creased during the past year when 1t
should have increased in order to meet
the authorized increase in the artillery
branch