Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1908-12-10

! present both infantry and astillery are
too few IN number for our needs. Es-
pecial attention should bo paid to de-
velopment OF the machine gun. A gen
eral service corps should be establish
ed. As things are now the average
soldier has far too much labor OF =
nonmtlitary character to perform.
National Guard.
Now that the organized militia the
national guard, has been Incorporated
With the army az part Of the. nation
al forces. II behooves the government
to do every reasonable thing In its
EOwer to perfect it's efficiency: Il
should be assisted in its instruction.
and otherwise aided moro literally
than heretofore. The continuous sesv-;
ices Of many we'll trained regular of.
ficers will be essential In this connec-
ton. Such officers must be especially
trained at service schools best To
qualify them as Instructors of the. ma
tional guard But the detailing of Of
ficers for training at the service
schools and fo. duty with the national
guard entails detaching them from
their regiments which arc already
greatly depleted by detachment Of Of
ficers for assignment to duties pre-
scribed by acts OF the congress.
A hill is now pending before the;
congress creating number Of extra,
as 1t ought to he, will enable mOret
officers to ne trained as instructors Of
national guard and assigned to that
duty. -
There should nc legislaton to pro.
vide complete pan for organizing
the great body Of volunteers behind the
regular army and rational guard when
war has come Congressional assist
ance should be given those who are
endeavoring to promote rife practice
80 that our men. In the services or.
out of trem, may know how to use tho
wife. While teams representing tho
United States won the rifle and re-
solver championships Of the world
against all Corners in England this
year, II 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 well as in the military
services. by every means In our power..i
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,
our voice for peace will carry to the
ends OF the earth. Unprepared. and
therefore unfit. we must sit dumb and
helpless to defend ourselves. protect
others: or preserve peace. The first
step-in the direction Of preparation
to avert war II possible. and to be, At
for war II II should cOme-is to teach
our men to shoot.
Tire Navy.
approve the recommendation OF!
the general board for the increase OF
| the navy. calling especial attention to
the need OF additional destroyers and
golfers, and above all, OF the four
battleships. 1t IL desirable to COM
plete as soon as possible q squadron
OF eight hattleEhips of the best ex-.
listing type. The North Dakota. Della
ware, Florida, and Utah will form the
first division OF this squadron. The
four vessels proposed will form tho
second division. 1t will be an Inn
prcvement on the first, the ships being
of the heavy. single caliber, all biz
gun type. All the vessels should have
the same tactical qualities. that In.
speed and turning circle, and ~ near
az possible these tactical qualities
should be the same ~ IL in the four
vessels before named now being built.
most earnestly recommend that
the general board be by 1aw turned
" no excuse whatever for continuing
the present bureau organization Of tn,
navy. The navy should be. treated a.
purely military organization. and
everything should be subortlinated 70
the one object OF securing military
cficiency. Such military efficiency can
only be guaranteed In time OF, war. II
there is the most thorough previous
preparation In time of peace-a pre-
paration. may add. which will In ali
probability prevent any need OF war
The secret ary must be supreme. and he
should have AZ his oflicial advisers q
body of line officers who should then,
selves have the power to pass up0,,
and coordinate all the work and al
the proposals of the several bureaus
4 system o. promotion By merit, either
I. both processes. should be introduced
1t Is out Of the question. II the pres-
!. ent principle Of promotion by mere
!. seniority ID kept. to expect to get the
best results from the higher oAicefs
Our men come too old. and stay fbr
too short time, In the high command
!, positions.
4 Two hospital ships should he pr.,-
vided. The actual experience Of thu
hospital ship with the fleet in the
Pacific has shown the invaluable work
, proved that 1t 10 we'll to have II kebt
under the command of a medical or
ficer. As was 10 be expected. all OF
, the antictpatiOns OF trouble from such
command have proved completely
haseless. II is as absurd TO put Il
hospital ship under a line officer as u
would be to put hospital on shors
under snch a command This ought
/ to have teen realized before, and there
. is no excuse for failure to realize n
i now.
/, Nothing better for the navv from,
every standpoint has ever occurred
1 than the cruise of the hattie fie Il
: around the world. The Improvement
= OF the ships in every wsy has beer
r extraordinary. and they have gained
far more experience in battle tactic.
, than they would have gained n they
had stayed in the Atlantic waters. The
{ American people have cause for pro.
found qualification. both in view II
the excellent condition of the fleet
j, az shown ty this cruise, and in view 0I
) the Improvement the cruise has work
a ed In this already high condition.
do not believe that there is any othe.
u service in the world in which the aver.
e age OF character and efficiency In the
@ enlisted men Ii as high as fs nov the
= case In our own. believe that the
4 SAME statement can be made as Ia
p cur oHtcers. taken az "a whole: but
. tfe re must be reservation made ii
Y regard to those in the highest ranks-
D as to which have already spoken
y and In regard to those who have tust
entered the service: because We Ia
n not now get full benefit from our OK
e celient naval school at Annapolis. n
: is absurd not to graduate the mid
shfpmen as ensigns; to keep them
h for two years In such an anomalous
: position rs at present tho law require.