New-York tribune., 1908-12-09
TAFT FAVORS MEASURE
LARGER SIGNAL SERTICE.
Bill to Double Corps Soon To Be
Considered IN Con gress.

Army officers, especially those stationed in and
about New York. are interested in bill provid-
ing for the doubling Of the signal service corps
Of the army which will come up soon before the
Committee or Military Affairs Of the House OF
Representatives
This corps now includes 1-212 men exclusive
Of officers, less than IA per cent OF the per-
nitted strength Of the army. With the develop
rneut OF signal service work. the Introduction OF
modern methods Of warfare, and with the ter
ritoriaI acquisitions the chief signal service
officer has found it more and more difficult to
carry on the work required OF the corps and to
keep abreast OF the times with the small number
Of men.
General Allen the chief signal service officer.
stated in his annual report last year that the
minimum number OF men necessary for this
branch Of the service was approximately ~ per
cent of the permitted strength OF the army or
about $500 men.
Methods Of modern warfare, army officers
agree. make military research work 2 practical
necessity They cite the fact that the old meth
DDS Of transmitting information the field have
been replaced by such new means as the wireless
telegraph. the telephone. the army balloon and.
to an experiueu extent the airship.
In the battle Of Moukdeu in the Russian-Jep-
anese War said an officer yesterday. the third
division Of the japanese army laid 80 miles of
telegraph lines The German army has already
perfected an army balloon which can be counted
on 10 be Of service in time Of war. and II has
also invented 4 balloon gun as defence against
the army balloon II used by the enemy Unless
our army can spare men for experimental work
IL seems almost Inevitable that will fall be
hind I'm the development OF modern signal ser
vice methods"
The signal service bill provides that the signal
corps Of the army shall consist ot = chief sig
nal officer with the rank Of brigadier general. 4
colonels. + lieutenant coIouels, u majors 3b
ca plains. Sc first Heutenants. 36 second Iieuten-
ants 100 master signal electricians, 300 first
class sergesnts 300 serseauts. 300 corporals-
300 first class privates. 600 privates- GO cooks,
~ ferriers and blscksmiths. ~ saddIers y
7yagoners IS trUmpeters and a band.
This measure was proposed during the closing
DAYS Of the last Congress. and Judge Taft Who
was then Secretary Of War. said in a letter TO
the chairman Of the Committee on Military At
fairs 1t is recommended that this bin receive
favorable consideration
Lieutenant General Arthur Macarthur in
letter 70 the Secretary OF War said:
In order 70 provide adequately for the duties
and the supplementary duties Of the sigma
tive military organization adapted % the 1eces-
stiles of field army Of 100000 men the signal
CORDS must be largely increased And this in
c-ea Sc must be made in view OI the fact that
the service Of military lines Of information =
special and exclusive and cannot be performed
by organizations exteUporized after war has be
come imminent or IS more likely actually
declared.
It is therefore essential TO attach to the reg
ular establishment a corps Of sufficient size 70
meet all the immediate demands which would
attend the mobilization Of large army Three
thousand enlisted men is the minimum number
suitable for this purpose