The Washington times., 1908-01-06
The Army Unpopular.

Secretary Taft, in his annual re-
port made public today, discusses
with franBness the lamentable con
ditiOns that exist with reference TO
keeping the ranks full. In spite of
unusual effort, he SAYS, it has been
found impossible to secure the full
number of men authorized by law.
Not only is this true, but it has
also been found impossible to keep
the number from dwindling.
As has heretofore been urged in
these columns one Of the reasons
for this state of affairs is the ina 1c-
quate pay Of the enlisted man. TIE
Secretary is deeply impressed with
that feature of the case, and says:
While many reasons have been ad-
vanced for the difficulty experienced In
recruiting, I think a sufficient reason
is TO be found in the inadequaCy ci
the pay.
While there is always more or less
difficulty in securing the enlistment
Of soldiers in time OF peace, this eff
ficultv Is of course much augmented
in periods of great and widespread
prosperity When the supply OF mere
labOTeTs is not equal 10 the demand
for them, although the wages offered
range from Sl.75 to $3.50 or more a day,
it is not strange that men do not care
10 enlist IN the army at SIS a month
The Times also dwelt to some ex-
tent upon the hardships of the sol
dier's life, the monotony Of his ex-
istence and his loss of personal lib
erty as reasons why he should not
only receive compensation equal to
that he would receive in his ordi-
nary occupation. but even greater
recompense. Mr.. Taft, in discussing
this phase of the situation, says:
- the life IS full of hard work
with the drills and practice marches
and fatigue duty that are essential to
the proper training Of a soldier and
inseparable from the maintenance Of an
army post in good condition; and there
is Of course a far greater degree OF
discipline required than IS usually
found in civil employment. At small
and isolated posts the monotony OF the
routine naturally becomes accenuated
and the soldiers life correspondence
becomes less attractive.
Increased pay for the men is
earnestly recommended with an adj
ditiOnal inducement for re-enlist-
ments and also the establishment of
a general service corps for duty as
wagon masters, engineers, firemen,
carpenters, blacksmiths, laborers.
etc. Under present conditions, the
Secretary points out. a private with
only few months service to his
credit may secure a detail for extra
duty that viii give him more paw
than his first sergeant, although the
latter may be a trained soldier of
many years experience.
In concluding his review of this
subject, the Secretary says:
The fact cannot be disregarded nor
explained away that for some reason
or other the life OF the soldier as at
present constituted IS not one TO at
tract the best and most desirable class
of enlisted men. Such a condition is
radically wrong and ought speedily to
be Temedied. The service should be
made so attractive and desirable that
il viii not be difficult to get nor hard
10 hold the class Of men the army needs
III its enlisted personnel, and the way
to do that, in my opinion, IS TO make
service in the army a life work (as IL
used 10 be- for those who are adapted
to II, by Offering suitable rewards for
proficiency when attained a greater in
crease Of pay for length of service, and
by the establishment o. conditions that
viii elevate and sustain the self-respect
Of the enlisted man by making the du-
ties of his daily life more those OF the
soldier-for which object he entered the
army-and less those of a labOrer. for
service as which he could get much
more pay in civil life.