Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-12-02
IS
 THEME OF REPORT
(Continued From Page D

reached a point where it is beyond
 question that the efficiency and disci- pline of the army are suffering there
 from. On June 30, 1909, more than a third of the captains of the mobile ar
 my were absent from their proper com mands on detached service, ot such a nature as to cause them to be absent for some time. Including those cap tains who were temporarily absent from l their proper commands, on detached | service or otherwise, it is believed that ! less than oue-half of the companies Of the mobile army were commanded by | captains. "
 The report also advocates more strep- uous physical tests. President RoOse-
 welt inaugurated an annual test to de-
 termine the physical fitness of officers, Icompelling them to ride ninety miles in Ithree days or to walk fifty miles within
 the same time. This, in the opinion of | Secretary Dickinson, should be changed
 so as to compel officers to undertake q | certain amount of prescribed exercise each week, the amount to be certified | by the commanding officers in thelr
 monthly reports.
 Cooperation of the regular army with the militia of the states is strongly urged. The secretary outlines plan to accomplish this. He would have the Hcountry divided into number of ter,
 ritorial and tactical districts, so that
 the militia may be conveniently com,
 bined with the regular troops stationed
 in these districts into permanent bri-
 l-- nI ina tr11s
 ton and tactical organizations.
 In conjunction with the headquarters
 of these combination divisions, the re
 port advocates the establishment of
 supply depots, which can be drawn upon
 for the equipment of an army in time
 of need. At such depots supplies would
 be carried sufficient to outfit any addi
 tional volunteer force, up to moderate number that might be hastily recruit
 ed to complete the organization of al
 army corps.
 Attached to, the headquarters, also the report declares there should be sta toned a young and active officer of th' regular army, whose duty it would bt to instruct and direct the militia organ izations in the corps district Such al officer, it is pointed out, could issue m 2 orders to the militia, but it is declaret he should be given power to supervis D the equipment and instruction of tn 3 volunteer troops of his district and b D held responsible for their mobilization } and general condition.
 It is proposed to submit the adoption D of such a plan to the governors of tn Q several states. If the states announc } their willingness to cooperate with tn 0 war department steps will be taken to 0 ward putting the plan into action. The matter of a general rearrange 0 ment of the various army posts Occu 0 pies a prominent place in the report , The secretary of war expresses his con 0 viction that, as now situated, the arm : posts do not meet the requirements o , the service, many of them being isolate 0 and difficult of access.
 3 The majority of these posts, he point Q out, sprang into existence because in tn 2 early days of the west the regular arm 0 was largely used for the protection O : settlers from the Indians. The Ind : ans have long since ceased to be mer ace to the whites and the posts hay 2 Outlived their usefulness. The arm 3 authorities now set forth that tact 0 cal and strategical necessities requir 0 the locating of such army headquarter 2 near the large cities, in close proximit 9 to centers of transportation, and wit 0 view to cooperation with the militia 0 "Hence, the three requirements, 0 says Secretary Dickinson, "economy 0 possibility of rapid movement an 0 training of the militia-would all b |. met in the most effective manner if tn s troops were stationed in or near tn Z principal cities; and this is the cours 2 which the general staff believes shoul 2 be pursued, "
 0 During the fiscal year three S-inch an : 2S rapid-fre guns were added to tn ' sea coast defenses of the United State O It is also declared that the coast d. Q lenses in the country's insular posses , sions are in a forward state of constru, 3 ton. Special mention is made of th 2 increasing efficiency in marksmanshi O shown by the men who serve the gur o in the seacoast batteries and also in tn D field artillery of the army. Praise als 1 is given the men of the regular arm 70 for excellent records made with sma 70 arms.
 D Among a great number of other ma