New-York tribune., 1908-01-07
ADDED PAY FOR ARMY
Secretary Urges the Necessity of
Stimulating Recruitment.

Stimulating Recruitment.
Washington Dec 6.-Seeretary Taft is a strong
advocate of increased pay for the army. His an
nual report. made public to-day. completely dis
pels any doubt that may have existed as to his
position
The report begins with formidable present.
ment of figures showing the rapid decrease in the
strength of the regular army in recent years-the
loss last year being fewer than i,i2S n1en-and
the pressing need for officers to replace those now
detailed recTCitng duty military in-
structors in educational institutions. The Secre-
tary declares that while many have been
advanced explain the difficulty sufficient one
is to be found in the inadequacy of army pay.
Il think it quite probable he says, that an in
crease in the pay of the enlisted men. including
considerable additional inducement for men to re-
enlist and such reasonable increase in the pay of
on-co commissioned officers would stimulate men
remain in the service and to qualify themselves
for these higher positions would have markedly
beneficial effect upon the recruitment OF the
army
The Secretary earnestly favors the adoption for
the army of the naval system. under which the
President is authorized to fix the rates of pay
within defined limits. a of obtaining
better discipline and higher efficiency He also
recommends the creation of general service corps
to relieve the soldiers of the vast amount of un-
military work they called upon to per-
form
The regular army last year lost 139 officers and
2s. 310 enlisted men Although it a year of
peace fourteen of the officers and 35S Of the men
were killed in action or died of wounds and dis
The army should have contained 69.s6i men,
but during the year there 6ehcit of 1851,
nearly 20 per cent In discussing these figures the
Secretary says:
While there is always more or less difficulty in
securing the enlistment of soldiers in time of peace
periods Of great ard Wides1read prospeTity When
the supply Of mere laborers is not equal TO the de-
from 81 rs to 81 50 or more day, it is not strange
that men do not care TO enlist in the army at slS
than this because they well housed and
ieq qees eee n don aa s afe the he full u Of hard
work, with the drills and practice marches and
fatigue duty that essential TO the proper train
ing of soldier and inseparabe from the man,
required than is usually found in civil employment
routine naturally becomes accentuated and the sol
dier's life correspondingy becomes less attTactiye
cult to keep the ranks of the artillery full
hgh dasre of Mechanical skill and the training
of to 6eTs9e 5bG e Rnow Of eeric
and skill in assembling and manipulating var-
GUS kinds OF e1ectrlcai apparatus ~ use +ba M
time these men have served one enlistment they
much higher remuneration in civil employment
than it does in the army, and they DO not reenflst
The Secretary has decided to create one OF the
new regimental posts at Baguio. in the Philippines,
and asks Tor an appropriation IOT lt pCSc- i1o
also urges an enlargement Of Fort Mckinley reser-
walton, Manila, by six thousand acres. at a
cost of s1S5, ,000 and the construction OF an cleo
tric railroad from Camp Overton, on the north
shore of Mindanao to Camp Keithley, Lake
Lanao. in the centre OF the Moro country He
compares Baguio TO the Adirondacks in atmosphere
and climate, and says that nothing could be Of
greater aid 70 the army than post at that point
where every regiment in the island might be sent
at some time during its of duty in the islands
A profound conviction of the Importance of the
subject leads the Secretary earnestly to adure Con-
sress to give heed to the pressing needs Of the
military department which it has overlooked not
wfthstanding attention been repeatedly called
them. The Secretary says
The failure to make proper and adequate pro-
vision for caring for the health and comfort or
the volunteer forces in the time of war-and this
can only be done by creating sutfcientiy large
edge and training-not only needlessly- proongs
lures of money far in excess of the actual of
making proper provision in advance, but. most de-
porable of all brings anxiety and sorrow to house
holds all over the land and condemns many prom
isfng youths unnecessary suffering and possibly
premature grave
Among the estimates submitted is an item of
S. 900 for the construction of batteries Manila
and Subig Bay This estimate appears in connec-
ton with others for the insular possessions. The
only comment made upon it in the report is this
The places recommended for fortdcation have
all been visited by one or more members OF the
National Coast Defence Board, and the suitability
for fortifcation sites has been carefully studied by
the board and expenditures are being made
cordingly.
Accompanying the report the estimates for
the support of the military establishment during
the next fiscal year, these being S5S2 91 greater
than last years appropriations By far the greater
part of the increase (more than 80 cent? is for
coast defence works, Of which about $21,70O000 is
required for the United States, and S14So00o0 for
the insular possessions. In concluding the report
Secretary Taft says:
It seems to me that the time has come to recog-
nize in the way the service Of one who
soldier, but who. as Secretary OF War, rem
dered heroic service in the preservation OF the
Union and whose strong personality and intel
lectual force made him OF the great historical
figures in a national crisis. Edward NJ. Stanton
abored for the maintenance and perpetUity OF this
government with unfaltering courage and with
V;gor abatement I recommend that
Congress make adequate provision for the erection
of a statue Secretary Stanton in the city of
Washington where his great work was done and
where his remains buried.