The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-12-03

this republic. After twelve years SER
vice in tina army my own belief is
that the man should be given pre-
ference according to his ability for
certain types of Office over all civilian
applicants without examination. This
should also apply, of course, to the
men who have served twelve years in
the navy. A special corps should be
provided to do the manual labor now
necessarily demanded OF the privates
themselves.
Weed Out the Unfit.
Among the officers there should be
severe examinations to weed out the
unfit UP to the grade of major. From
that position on appointments should
be solely by selection and it should De
understood that man of merely aver,
age capacity could never get beyond
the position Of major, while every
man who serves in any grade certain
length of time prior to promotion to
the next grade without getting the
promotion to the next grade should
be forthwith retired. The practice
marches and field maneuyers of the
last two or three vars have been IN
valuable to the army. They should be
continued and extended. A rigid and
physical capacity has been provided
for the higher grade officers This
will work well. Unless an officer has
a good physique, unless he can stand
hardship, ride we'll, and walk fa1rIy'
he is not fit for any position, even af-
ter he has become oo:onel. Before
he has become a colonel the need for
physical ftnss in the officer is almost
as great as in the enlisted man l
hope speedily to see introduced into
thorouSh-going test of horsemanship
for all field officers than at present.
There should be a chief of cavalry
just as there is a chief of artillery
Perhaps the most important of all
legislation needed for the benefit of
the army is law to eQualize and in
crease the pay of officers and enlisted
men of the army, navy, marine corps,
and revenue cutter service Such a bill
has been prepared, which 1t is hoped
will meet with your favorable con-
sideration. The next most essential
measure is to authorize number or
extra officers as mentioned above. To
make the army more attractive TO en-
listed men, 1t is absolutely essential
to create service corps. sucn as
exists in nearly every modern army
in the world, to do the skilled and un-
skilled labor inseparably connected
with military administration, which Is
now exacted, without just compensa-
ton, of enlisted men who voluntarily
entered the army to do service OF an al
together different kind There are a
number of other laws necessary to SO
organize the army as to promote It's
efficiency and facilitate Its rapid ex-
pansion in time of war; but the above
are the most important.
The Navy.
1t was hoped The Hague conference
might deal with the question OF the
limitations of ornaments. But even
before it had assembled informal in
quiries had developed that as regards
naval ornaments. the only ones IN
which this country had any interest, II
was hopeless to try to devise any plan
for which there was the slightest pos
sibilitv of securing the assent of the
nations gathered at The Hague. NO
plan was even proposed which would
have had the assent of more than
one first class power outside OF the
seemed at all feasible, that of limiting
the size of battleships, met with mo- IA
vor at all. It is evident, therefore,
that it is folly for this nation to base
any hope of securing peace on any in
ternational agreement as to the limi-
tation of ornaments. Such being the
fact it would be most unwise for US
to stop the upbuilding of our navy. To
build one battleship of the best and
most advanced type a year would
barely keep our fleet up to its pres
ent force. This is not enough. In my
Judgment, we should this year pro-
vide for four battleships. But 1t is
idle to build battleships unless In
addition to providing the men, and
the means for thorough training, we
provide the auxiI!aries for them. I'M
less we provide docks, the coaling sta
tons, the GOLFERS and supply ships that
they need. We are extmerely deficient
in coaling stations and docks on the
Pacific, and this deficiency should not
longer be permitted to exist. Plenty
of torpedo boats and destroyers should
be built. Both on the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts. Notifications of the
best type should be provided for all
our greatest harbors.
We need always to remember that
in time of war the navy is not to be
used to defend harbors and sea coast
cities; we should perfect our system
of coast Qualifications. The only
efficient use for the navy Is for ofense-
The only way in which 1t can efficiently
protect our own coast against the pos
sible action of a foreign navy Is by
destroying that foreign navy. For de-
Tense against a hostile fleet which ac-
tually attacks them, the coast cities
torpedocs, submarines, and torpedo
boats and destroyers. All of these
together are efficient for defensive
purposes, but they in no way supply
the place of a thoroughly efficient
navy capable of acting on the often
fight. It can only be won by hard
hitting, and an aggressive sea-golng
navy alone can do this hard hitting
of the offensive type. But the forts
and the like are necessary so that the
navy may be footloose.. In time of
war there is sure to be demand, I'M
der pressure of fright, for the ships
to be scattered 50 as to defend all
kind of ports. Under penalty of ter
rible disaster, this demand must be
refused. The ships must be kept to-
gether, and their objective made the
enemies fleet. If Notifications are
sufficiently strong. no modern navy
will venture to attack them. SO long
as the foe has in existence a hostile
Of lilxa fha me- size