The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-07-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.

The problem of finding recruits for the
Army becomes increasingly difficult with
each year, and the assertions are so num-
erous as to give considerable anxiety to
the officers in all parts of the country. 1t
is believed when Brig Gen. Bell said in
recent speech that "There is something
wrong with the army" statement
which created something of a sensation
in the War Department at Washington,
he referred to this serious condition.
Secretary Taft when interviewed on the
subject of Gen. Bells remark said that he
did not know of anything that was the
matter with the army except there was
not enough of it. A set of statistical
tables is now being complied by the
General Staff of the Army which is ex-
pected to substantiate this statement and
be suggestive of some remedial measure
for that condition. 1t will be made the
basis for an appeal which Secretary Taft
will make to Congress next winter for
means to increase the army. 1t will show
that the wages in the army though higher
than those paid in other countries are
far from tempting to young and healthy
men who can make more in any of the
common employment or trades and the
inference is that Congress will be asked
to raise the pay of the private. 1t is
claimed that this is the first aud most
essential requirement for an improvement
in the service. Officers are always OBJ
tainable because, while their pay is not
much in excess of that of the skilled
mechanic, the dignity of the position and
its social advantages counteract the de-
terring effect of the small wages, but
private soldiers, it is believed cannot be
kept in the ranks unless they are to re-
ceive more than thirteen dollars month.
According to the opinion of majority of
the General Staff there is too much hard
and unnecessary work in the different
branches of the service. The men object
to the long periodical practice marches
which they are obliged to make carrying
the full heavy field kit, and many
assertions are traceable to this cause,
The officers too would be glad to escape
this necessity and are using their inhu-
ence to persuade those higher in author
ity that the common soldier must be
more tenderly treated.
Nv
Apropos of Army affairs, it is said that
Secretary Taft will recommend to Con-
gress next session the establishment of an
entirely new branch of the service which
shall have charge of military transporta,
ton and displace entirely the quarter
masters divisions The quartermaster
has always been the scapegoat in the
army and whenever there has been an
extensive movement of troops it has
performance that the quartermaster's
divisions should be held responsible for
all mishaps, delays and failures of the
expedition. The organization of a sep
arate and independent department of
transportion which would have charge of
the clothing, equipage, horses, mules,
wagons, forage transports, stationery,
miscellaneous stores, beside the respon-
sibility for the erection of buildings, the
providing of water, heat and light is a
proposition which meets with the ap-
prevail of Army officers generally.
~
Government officials who were kept so
busy for week or more denying that
the sending of the fleet to the Pacific had
anything to do with the war like attitude
of certain of the Japanese have begun