The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1908-12-10
much labor Of d nonmilitary character
to perform.
National Guard.

much labor Of d nonmilitary character
to perform.
National Guard.
Now that the organized militia. the
National Guard. has been incorporated
with the army as a part OF the national
forces. it behooves the government to
do every reasonable thing in its power
to perfect its efficiency. 1t should be
assisted in its instruction and other
wise aided more literally thai hereto
fore. The continuous services Of many
well-trained regular officers will be
essential in this connection. Such Of
acers must be specially trained at SER
vice schools best to qualify them as
instructors of the National Guard. But
the detailing Of officers for training at
the service schools and for duty with
the National Guard entails detaching
them from their regiments which are
already greatly depleted by detach-
ment OF officers for assignment to du-
ties prescribed by acts of the congress-.
A bill is now pending before the
congress- creating a number Of extra
officers In the army, which II passed.
as 1t ought to be, will enable more
officers to be trained as instructors Of
National Guard Inc assigned to that
duty. In case of war it will BE- Of the
utmost Importance to have a large
number Of trained officers to use for
turning raw levies into good troops.
There should be legislation to pro-
vide q complete plan for organizing the
great body Of volunteers behind the
regular army and National Guard
sistance should be given those who
are e~ndeavoring to promote rifle prao-
tice SO that our men. In the services or
u Of them, may know how to use
the rife. While teams representing
the United States won the rife and re-
ISy 1853
against all corners In England this
year, 1t is unfortunately true that the
great body Of our citizens shoot less
and less as time goes on. To meet this
we should encourage rifle practice
among schoolboys, and indeed among
all classes. as we'll as In the military
services, by every means in our pow
er. Thus, and not otherwise. may we
be able to assist in preserving the
peace Of the world. Fit to hold our
own against the strong nations of the
earth. u voice for peace will carry
to the ends Of the earth. Unprepared,
and therefore unfit, we must sit dumb
and helpless to defend ourselves, pro-
tect others, or preserve peace. The
first step-in the direction of prepara-
ton to avert war If possible, and to be
fit for war If it should come-is to
teach our men to shoot.
The Navy.
I approve the recommendations of
the general board for the in
crease of the navy, calling especial
attention to the need of addi-
tional destroyers and GOLFERS, and above
all, of the four battleships. 1t is deslr-
able to complete as soon as possible a
squadron of eight battleships of the best
existing type. The North Dakota, Della
ware, Florida and Utah will form this
first division of this squadron. The four
-.---zI- -->-~-- .,lly r-.-~ L. --a--l n
vision. 1t Will be an Improvement on the
first, the ships being of the heavy, sin
gle caliber, all big gun type. All the
vessels should have the same tactical
qualities, that is, speed and turning cir
Gle, and as near as possible these tao
teal qualities should be the same as Is
In the four vessels before named now be-
ing built.
I most earnestly recommend that the
general board be by law turned into a
general staff. There rs literally no ex-
cuse whatever for continuing the pres.
ent bureau organization Of the navy. Ths
navy hould be treated as a purely Wili.
tary organization, and everything should
be subordinated to the one object of Sc
curing military efficiency. Such military
efficiency can only be guaranteed in time
of war If there is the most thorough pre-
vious preparation In time of peace
preparation. 1 nay add. which will in all
probability prevent any need Of war. Ths
secretary must be supreme, and he
should nave as his official advisers a
body Of line officers who should them
selves have the power to pass upon and
coordinate all the work and all the pro-
posals of the several bureaus. A system
of promotion by merit, either by selec-
ton or by exclusion, or by both
of the question, If the present principle
Of promotion by mere seniority Is kept,
to expect to get the best results from the
higher officers. Our men come too old.
and stay for too short a time. in the high
command positions.
Two hospital ships should be provided.
The actual experience Of the hospital
shown the invaluable work which
suc a ship does, and has also
proved that it is well to have II
kept under the command of q medical
officer. AS was to be expected, all OF
the anticipations Of trouble from such 9
command have proved completely base.
less. It Is as absurd to put a hospital
ship under a line officer as it would be
to put a hospital on shore under such q
command. This ought to have been
realized before, and there Is no excuse
for failure to realize 1t now.
Nothing better for the navy from every
standpoint has ever occurred than the
cruise OIL tue OaICl6 Ue6C dEOuuQ Lue
world. The improvement Of the ships IN
every way has been extraordinary, and
they have gained far more experiences
in battle tactics than they would a v
gained If they had stayed in the Atlantic
waters. The American people have cause
for profound qualification, both In view
Of the excellent condition of the fleet as
shown by this cruise, and In view of the
improvement the cruise has worked IN
this already high condition. I do not
believe that there is any other service in
the world in which the average Of char
acter and efficiency in the enlisted men
is as high as is now the case in our own.
/ believe that the same statement can
be made as to our officers, taken as a
whole; but there must be a reservation
made in regard to those in the highest
ranks-as to which I have already spo-
Remand in regard to those who have
Just entered the service: because we do
not now get full benefit from our ex-
cellent naval school at Annapolis. 1t lie
absurd Hot to graduate the midshipmen