Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-12-11
WRIGHT ASKS FOR
new LIFE IN ARMY
SECRETARY OF WAR WANTS 612
MORE OFFICERS AND RETIRE
MENT OF UNFIT.
COST OF Array INCREASING.
Annual Report Calls for Larger Appro-
prlatlons to Maintain Forces
That Are Needed.
FEWER DESERTIONS ARE NOTED.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 10
Uncle Sam needs more officers for the
army, and at the same time he wants to
get rid OF lot of poor material. In his
annual report Secretary Wright espe-
clally recommends an addition of 612 of
hcers to the army and also approves
policy for the elimination from the serv-
Ice OF all officers who fail to maintain
the requisite standard of efficiency.
Both of these propositions were before
Congress at its last session and will be
strongly urged this year To provide for
the additional 612 officers the secretary
| states there will be added an annual
cost OF between $2,000,UOO and $1,000.
600
The necessity for more officers, the re-
port states, is due TO the unavoidable
detachment OF officers from their regular
| service with troops. Their detachment for
recruiting duty, for duty as instructors in
the army and at state institutions, as
| well as with the militia of the several
states and territories, has occupied the
tllne OF a large number of officers. At
present there are on detached duty 69l
| ofhcerS and 157 additional absent on
leave or on account Of sickness. Secre-
tary Wright is of the belief that it
would be measure of wise economy to
provide an extra number of highly
equipped officers for these added duties
winch have been thrown upon the army,
as the result would be highly beneficial
in case Of war
Cost of Army Increases.
The total estimates of the war depart
ment for the next fiscal year, as shown
by the annual report of Secretary
Wright, amount to $3.50, 755, O39, an in
of n<1r he
| preparations for the present fiscal year.
The increase is largely for river and har-
Dor work and other public works of
civil character, for which purpose about
$Z4,NOOOO is asked. Of the balance
about $1O,5OO,0OO is an additional esti-
mate for the support of the army, mill
tary academy and the militia. For mill
tary public works, such as Notifications,
arsenals and military posts, the estimate
calls for an increase of ST. 100000.
In urging the favorable consideration
OF the bill providing for the additional
GIL officers Secretary Wright makes the
following statement:
Although our existing military es
tablshment fully justifes itself even in
times OF peace, Il should never be for
gotten that its greatest value is found
IN the fact that through it in case of war
we have considerable body of trained
ofhcerS ut for higher commands. who are
| available to take charge of and lick into
shape large bodies of volunteers who are
suddenly summoned to the cOlOrS with
out previous military education or disci-
pine. While the increased number of
officers asked for are urgently needed
now. their value in case of war cannot
be overestimated. All of us hope that
war with any foreign power may never
come. but this hope has not prevented
the nation from several times becoming
engaged in war, and usually there has
been little time for preparation preceding
the actual declaration of hostilities."
Fewer Desertions Noted
The report states that the total num-
Der of enlistments in the army during
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1908, ex-
elusive of the hospital corps and Philip
pine scouts, was Al 1853. OF this number
II, 143 were re-enlistments and 29,72O
We're original enlistments The number
! of assertions from the army fell off 4.6
per cent. Of the whole number of enlisted
men in the service during the fiscal year
1908, as compared with SO per cent.
during the preceding fiscal year. Secre-
tary Wright speaks with qualification
upon the marked decrease in the num-
Der of assertions, which was less in 1908
than during any fiscal year since 1901.
Secretary Wright submits an estimate
of 100000 to enable the signal corps to
take up military aerOnautlcS III a more
effective way than it has done in the
past. On this subject he makes the fol
lowing observation:
During the past year the signal cOrps
of the army has been Instrumental in ma
terially advancing the progress of aerial
navigation by the encouragement il has
given to owners and inventors of dirigi-
BILE balloons and aerOplanes. 1t has been
engaged in developing the knowledge in
practice of aeronautics both in the signal
/ he
furtherance of it's work an officer of
the signal corps spent three months in
France, England, Germany and Belgium
inspecting and investigatiOng the mill
tary aeronautical establishments of these
countries.
During the past year the signal corps
has purchased under contract, after salts
factory tests, a small dirigible balloon
capable of carrying two persons and hav-
ing speed of twenty miles per hour
and this machine is at present being used
for the training of officers and men,
Militia Is Improving
The secretary refers to the good results
accomplished by legislation enacted at
the last session of Congress to promote
the efficiency of the militia. Having in
mind the desirability of being prepared
for any attack that might be made on
one or both of the coast lines. he recon-
mends> that the general scheme of ma
tional defense shall provide a force of
| organized militia of approximately $780,
900 men, 100000 of these in combina-
ton with the infantry. cavalry and field
artillery of the regular army TO cOnsti-
/ tute a field army of 100000.
He estimates that about 10 per cent
of the 111,OOO officers and men in the
organized militia would respond to Il
| call to arms, and of the number respond
! ing a small percentage would be elimi-
! mated probably by physical disqualified
| ton. 1t is estimated that a little more
| than 60 per cent.-that is, about $1,000