Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-07
WILL URGE ARMY INCREASE
FEELS THAT PRES
EMIT FORCE Is TOO SMALL.
People Manifesting Great Interest
in Military Maneuvers-oarrison
Needed for Pearl Harbor.

President Roosevelt. in his final annual
message to the Congress, probably will
recommend an increase in the numerical
strength Of the army to at least 100000
men. At present the army is on a foot
ing Of 10000 men, the number provided
for in time of peace.
To the general staff it has become evil
dent in the last two years that 6O, 600 men
are too few to properly garrison the
posts, including those In the insuar pos
sessions, at which it Is necessary to main
tain an army force The law provides that
the army may be increased to loo, 900 men
in time of need. This provision, in the
opinion of the military experts of the
government, Is likely to prove a serious
handicap to the army II absolute neces-
sity should arise for larger force.
'Twould Be a Handicap.
It is pointed out that the recruiting OF
the army from $1,000 to 100000 men would
bring into the service an addition of ap-
proximately two inexperienced men to
every three experienced soldiers. The in
lection of SO considerable a force of raw
recruits, it is said by military oncials'
would detract seriously from the en-
cheney Of the army. 1t would require
many months of instruction to whip into
shape the men thus mustered into the
service and in the event that the army
was needed, in an emergency. the pres
ence Of SO large a number OF inexperi-
enced soldiers In the ranks would prove
a handicap to the main body.
1t has been shown by letters received al
the War Department that the people OF
the country are immensely interested III
various permanent posts in the country.
In years gone by little has been known
of the operations Of the army, but In the
past two years. since pubic attention mas
been drawn to the work OF the regular
army in connection with the National
Guard of the various states at the sew
eral permanent camps OF the Unlte9
States people generally have manifested
the deepest interest in the armys maneu-
vers and have expressed to the war De
partment their desire to come more init
mately In contact with the service
How About Pearl HarborP
1t will be necessary. in the judgment OF
the general staff, considerably to increase
the numerical strength of the army In
order properly to care for the posts ana
fortifications in this country and In the
insular possessions. 1t Is pointed out tnat
a considerable force will be required to
garrison the fortifications at Pearl har-
Dor. in the Hawaiian Islands. An I'M
mense amount of money is to be expend-
ed in the erection Of the Pearl harbor for
tifications. and 1t Is the opinion OF army
officials that a garrison of at least two
thousand men will have to be maintained
there in order to protect the works and
insure against invasion by a possible en-
envy Just now there are approximately
ten thousand Japanese In the Hawaiian
Islands In the remote event Of war
between America and Japan or some
other power with which japan Is on
friendly terms 1t would not be possible
for the comparatively small force OF
United States troops now In the Hawaiian
Islands to prevent the landing OF arms
and ammunition to supply the Japanese
in the islands With an adequate force
at Pearl harbor no difficulty would be ex-
perienced in preventing the landing OF
munitions of war which might be used
against the United States.
This Would Help Some.
It is expected that the President will
recommend in his annual message an in
crease of the army by the addition Of at
least ten regiments of infantry, ive regi-
ments Of cavalry and several companies
Of coast artillery. This recommendation.
II adopted. would not increase the pres
ent force to the maximum strength Of the
army provided for by law, but would
meet the requirements which. In the view
Of the general stan, are necessary to
place the army on an adequate footing.