Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-02
NEEDS OF THE ARMY
Charges Recommended by
Secretary Dickinson.
ABANDON REMOTE. POSTS
Would Have Troops Located In or
Near Cities.
MORE OFFICERS NECESSARY
Promot on Merit Also Advocated
in His Annual Report-Esti-
ma res for Year Cut So, 100000.
MORE OFFICERS NECESSARY

| In his first annual report Secretary
/, Dickit son makes several radical recon-
| mendstions for increasing the efficiency of
the military establishment and adapting
! it to modern conditions. Chief of these
communications is the division Of the
United States and its possessions into ter
ritorisl districts SO that the organized
militia Of the states and territories may
be conveniently combined with the regu-
| lar army.
! Among the other changes advocated by
Secre; airy Dickinson are:
The location Of troops in or near the
principal cities of the United States, in
stead of distributing them at remote
forts, to meet the three requirements Of
| economy. possibility of rapid movement
and the training of the militia.
More officers for the army and promo
ton on the merit system.
Liberal appropriations for the compile
ton of the fortified ton projects of the
Philippines, Honolulu and Pear Harbor.
Encouragement of rifle practice among
the citizens and schoolboys.
National regulations for the control OF
wireless telegraphy.
The modification of the law providing
for dismissal for hazing, SO as to give
some discretion in awarding punishment.
The establishment of a national park
at Niagara Falls to preserve its scenery
features.
A change I'm the Roosevelt physical
tests SO as TO require of officers in aodi-
! ton to the annual riding or walking test,
weekly riding or walking requirement.
More Officers Needed.
OF the active officers of the army, the
report calls attention to the fact that 700
are detailed to special duty, nearly half
of these or 345, being distributed among
the various schools of instruction of the
regular establishment or acting as in
structors in state educational institutions
where feature is made Of military
training. While there were no SERIOUS
breaches of military discipline during
the year, Secretary Dickinson declares
that there can be no doubt that the dis
c1pIine and enciency of troops were low
cred by the continued absence of so many
company officers and the resulting fire.
quent changes of company comma nd ers."
The remedy for this condition, the report
declares, may be found in increasing the
number Of officers and in the passage OF
legislation empowering the Secretary OIL
war, whenever the occasion demanded,
to appoint retired officers to active duty
temporarily. sUnder existing law a re-
tired officer cannot be made subject to
orders, but his return to active service is
entirely voluntary. In putting forward
The need for some such authorization,
secretary Dickinson says: .,-,s
While it is true that the duties per-
formed by these onicers are in the main
of great Importance to the army or OF
material benefit to the country the NUM-
Der. of officers so separated from their
regular duties with troops has now
reached a point where 1t is beyond ques-
ton that the efficiency and discipline OF
IN,
June 30, 19o9 more than third of the
captains of the mobile army were alb
sent from their proper commands on de-
tached service of such nature as to
cause them to be absent for some time.
Including those captains who were tenn
porariy absent from their proper COM
mands, on detached service or other
wise it Is believed that less than one
half of the companies OF the mobile army
were commanded by captains"
Cooperation With Militia.
Cooperation of the regular army with
ne militia of the states is strongly urged
The Secretary outlines a plan to accom-
pish this. He would have the country
divided into a number Of territorial and
tactical districts, 80 that the militia may
De conveniently combined with the regu
ar troops stationed in those districts into
permanent DTlSdOeS, DIVISIONS ana corps
for instruction and tactical organization.
In conjunction with the headquarters
.. these combination DIVISIONS the report
tdvocates the esta bills hment of supply de-
pots, 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 additional volun-
teer force up to moderate number that
might be hastily recruited to complete
the organization of an army corps.
1t Is proposed to submit the adoption of
such plan to the governors Of the sew
eral states. If the states announce their
Willingness to cooperate with the War
Department steps Will be taken toward
putting the plan into action.
The matter of a general Encouragement
If the various army posts occupies
prominent place in the report. The .Secre-
larry of War expresses his conviction that
IS now situated the army posts do not
meet the requirements of the service,
..any of them being isolated and diff
alt of access.
OUTLINED Their Usefulness.
The majority of these posts. he points
5ut sprang into existence because in the
ary days of the west the regular army
vas largely used for the protection of
ettlers from the Indians. The Indians
ave long since ceased to be a menace to
he whites and the posts have outlived
heir usefulness. The army authorities
7oW set forth that tactical and strategy
al necessities require the locating OF
UGH army headquarters near the large
cities, in close proximity to centers of
transportation and with a view to CO.
Jperation with the militia.
ranlllrananfS