The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1908-12-08

-
least seniority should be treated as
only one consideration. In the stress
of modern industrial competition no
business firm could succeed if those
Irresponsible for it's management were
chosen simply on the ground that they
were the oldest people in its employ
ment; yet this is the course advocat-
ed as regards the army, and required
by law for all grades except that of
general officer. AS a matter of fact,
all of h best officers in the highest
ranks of the army are those who have
attained their present position wholly
or in part by a process of selection.
The scope of retiring boards should
be extended so that they could consid-
/ err general unf1tness to command for
any cause, in order to secure a far
more rigid enforcement than at pres
ent in the elimination of officers for
mental, physical or tem%pera1nental
disabilities.
The cavalry arm should be reorgan-
Fed upon modern lines. This is an arm
in which it is peculiarly necessary
that field officers should not be old.
The cavalry is much more difficult 20
form than infantry, and 1t should De
kept up to the maximum both in eff
cheney and in strength, for it can not
be made in a hurry. At present both
infantry and artillery are too few in
number for our eed Especial atten-
Il tSo- rho,,JJ 1o -a;I - -
the machine gun. A general service
corps should be established. AS things
are now the average soldier has far
too much labor of a nonmilitary char
acter to perform.
National Guard.
Now that the organized militia, the
National Guard, has been incorporated
with the army as a part of the nation
al forces, it behooves the Government
to do every reasonable thing in it's
power to perfect it's efficiency. 1t
should be assisted in it's instruction
and otherwise aided more literally
! than heretofore. The continuous ser.
vices of many well-trained regular of
ficers will be essential in this connec
ton. Such officers must be specially
] trained at service schools best to
4 qualify them as instructors of the Ma
] tional Guard. But the detailing of of
ficers for training at the service
. schools n for duty with the Nation
al Guar entails detaching them from
, their regiments which are already
: -r1o+1x lo-1o+1l L.. d-+a-I-.~-& - 80
. ficers for assignment to duties pre-
scribed by acts of the Congress. = 3
There should ne legislation to pro
vide a complete plan for organizing
the great body of volunteers behind
|, the regular army and national guard
when war has come. Congressional as
I s%istance should he given those WHIT
; are endeavoring to promote rifle prac
:. ltice so that our men, in the services
J or out of them may know how to u.s.
I the rifle.
/ approve the recommendations o
s the General Board for the increase o
! the Navy, calling especial attention
! to the need of additional destroyer:
! and GOLFERS, and above all, of the foul
, battleships. 1t is desirable to complete
D as o as possible a squadron o
! tight b~att1eships of the best existing
! TYPE. The North Dakota, Delaware
Florida, and Utah will form the frs
division of this squadron. The four yes
sells proposed will form the second di
} vision. 1t will be an improvement or
Z i h a-.4 - .l:-z -s.- 6 49, Ia.---
I single caliber, all big gun type. Al
) the vessels should have the same tao
Itical qualities, that is, speed and turn
ing circle, and a. lee as possible
these tactical qualities should be the