Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-15
Army Standards Too Low,
Says Gen. Darlington.
TOO MANY OFFICERS AWAY
premium of So for Each Recruit
Is Recommended.
SCORES ANNUAL FIELD TEST
Exercise All the Year Round Would
Be Better, Inspector Gen
eral Believes.

There is general complaint from all
directions" says Inspector General Gar
Iington in his annual report to the Sec
| rotary of War. that the service is more
or less crippled, especially in general in
struction. discipline and efficiency, as well
as i'm target practice by reason of the
large percentage of officers constantly abb
sent from their commands. by detail or
otherwise.
Gen. Darlington does not indicate how
the situation may be remedied i'm the alb
sence OF hope for an increased number
Of commissioned officers, beyond the sug-
gestion that it would be wise to study
with scrupulous care the question of de-
tached service. and to differentiate be-
tween duty which tends to the efficiency
Of the army as fighting force. and that
which concerns interests more or less
closely related to the army. To the latter
class he assigns details to. the militia, to
civil institutions of learning and to the
Panama canal
Inspection Most Complete.
Gen. Darlington says that the inspec-
ton of the military establishment by the
inspector generals department during the
past year was mole complete than in any
year since the Spanish war. ut is be-
lieved," says he, that the army is great
ly in need of increase of the infantry
and field artillery and reorganization of
the cavalry. Legislation to this end
would. no doubt. be facilitated by quarter
ing the troops where they would come
closely In contact with the people. This
may be the more rapidly accomplished by
abandoning isolated posts as rapidly as
may be practicable and stafionlng the
ties RI
keeping them at their stations for longer
periods. Details on extra and special
duty are largely accountable for the
large percentage of absentee1sm from
drills and other military instruction The
remedy for this would seem to be q
service corps as recommended in my last
annual report.
Standard Not High Enough.
..The practical instruction of the troops
as a whole during the past year seems TO
have been worthy of commendation yet
the standard attained in field training and
general efficiency as a mobile force Is
not altogether what it should be. Tests
made by inspectors indicate that both
officers and men are deficient in tactical
instruction and that the standard reached
is not what we have a right to expect on
account of the increasing number of grad
yates of the service schools, the atten-
tlOn enJOlncQ Oy tue OfQciS. VI Tic w ehA
Department to this subdivision of In
struction. and the high grade of intelii-
gence of our troops.
According to the inspector general many
officers of practical experience believe
that the requirement that field officers
undergo a riding or walking test once
year does not serve the man purpose OF
keeping them in good physical condition.
Gen. Darlington expressed the opinion
that a scheme requiring each officer to
take exercise commensurate with his du-
ties and age, during the entire year,
would better accomplish the purpose
sought.
Wants Premium on Recruits.
AS stimulus to increased recruiting
Gen Darlington recommends the re-en-
actment of the old law which provided
for the payment of premium of So to
any citizen, non-commissioned officer or
soldier for each accepted recruit he
brought in.
The inspector general closes his report
with the statement that he Is heartily in
favor of the proposition to grant to en-
ployes in the classified service a general
increase of 20 per cent in their present
sa aries and also of legislation which will
provide a system for the retirement on
moderate annuities of faithful employees
who become superannuated in the public
service.