The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1908-01-06
Depleres Falling Off in
Strength Urges Induce
meut for Recruits.
TO REWARD PROFICIENCY
Secretary Appeals for Improve
mentofPers0nnel.- Recommends
Statue for StantOn.-Army's
Cost Next Year 81 $751;
93l Over Last Year.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-Secretary
Taft is a strong advocate of increased
pay for the army, and his annual re-
port just sent to Congress completely
dispels any doubt tina may exist as to
the secretary's position. The report
begins with a formidable p~resentment
of figures showing the rapid decrease
in the strength of h regular army in
recent years (the loss last year being
no less than 4,42S mem, and the press
ing need for officers to replace those
now detailed on recruiting duty or as
military instructors in educational in
~stitutidns.
The secretary declares that while
many reasons ave been advanced to
explain the difficulty, a sufficient one
is to be found in the i~nadequacy OF
army pay. II think it quite probable"
he says, that an increase in the pay
of the enlisted men, including consid-
cradle additional inducement for men
TO reenlist, and such reasonable in
crease in the pay of non-commissioned
officers as would stimulate men to re-
main in the service and to qualify
themselves for these higher positions.
would have a markedly beneficial effect
upon the recruitJnen of the army"
The secretary earnestly favors the
ADOPTION for the army of the navy sys-
tenn under which THE President is au-
thorized to fix the rates of a within
defined limits, as a means of obtaining
a better discipline n a higher eff
cheney. He also recommends the crea-
ton of a general service corps to re-
lieve the soldiers of the vast amount
of unmilitary work they are now called
upon to perform. In his opinion the
military service should be so attractive
and desirable that 1t will be difficult
to get and old the class of men needed
for the enlisted personnel, and to make
army service a life work, as 1t used to
be, by offering rewards for proficiency
and greater increase of pay for length
of service.
The regular army lost n39 officers and
1880 enlisted men last year, and, al
though 1t was a year of peace, fourteen
of the officers and 1858 of the men were
killed in action Or died of wounds n
disease.
The secretary has decided to create
one of the new regimental posts at
Baguio, in the Philippines, and asks
for an appropriation for the purpose.
He compared Baguio to the Adirondacks
in atmosphere and climate, and says that
nothing could be of greater aid to the
army thar a post Mt that point, where
every regimerH in the island might be sent
at some time during its tour of duty In
the islands.
The Secretary says: 1.-THE failure to
make proper and adequate provision for
caring for the health and comfort Of the
volunteer forces in time OF war--and this
can only be done by creating a sufficiently
large body of competent surgeons with
military knowledge and training-not only
needIesely prolongs the struggle and In
wolves the country in expenditures of
money far in excess Of the actual cost Of
making proper provision in advance. but,
most d~eplorable of all, brings anxiety and
sorrow to households all over the land and
condemns many promising youths to I'M
necessary suffering and possibly to q
premature grave"
Among the estimates submitted is an
item of IS, 1888, 900 for the construction of
batteries at Manila and Subig Bay. This
estimate appears in connection with others
for the insular possessions, and the only
comment made upon 1t in the report Is
this:
THE places recommended for fortifca-
ton have all been visited by one or more
members of the national coast defense
board. and the suitability for fertilization
sites has been carefully studied by the
board. and expenditures are being made
accordingly"
Accompanying the report are the esti-
mates for the support Of the military
establishment during the next fiscal year,
the same being $11.5S2,9 S1 greater than last
years appropriations. BY far the greater
part OF the increase CInore than 80 per
cent? is for coast defense works, of which
about S21, 700, 900 is required for the United
States and $14,sOO.Oo for the insular pos
sessions, In concluding the report Secre-
tary Taft says:
ut seems to me that the time has come
to recognize To some way the service Of
one who was not a soldier, but who as
Secretary of War rendered heroic service
In the preservation OF the Union and whose
strong personality and intellectual force
made him one Of the great historical fig
ures In a national crisis. Edward NJ. Stan
ton labored for the maintenance and per-
petuity of this government with unfalter-
ing course and with a vigor that knew
10 abatement. | recommend that Congress
make adequate provision for the erection
of A statue to Secretary Stanton In the
city of Washington, where his great work
was done and where his remains are
~ 1901 -