Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-02

OF ARMY URGED
Secretary Dickinson Wants More
Officers and the Posts Gen.
orally Re-adjusted.
SERIOUS MENACE AT PRESENT
Regulars Now Number 71,S4O
Men with 4,2Oo Oficers-Too
Many Of Latter on De
tached Duty.
SERIOUS MENACE AT PRESENT

ablishment OF the United States Ia the
principal recommendation contained in
the annual report OF Secretary OF War
Dickinson for the fiscal year ending June
60. 1900. made public to-day. More off
GERS. closer corporation with the militia
Of the various S,ates and a general read
justinent Of tho locations or the various
( rry posts are some OF the CRYING re-
forms Urged unon the attention OF Con
E1ess. The present distribution OF the
troops of the r' g,,lnr army in the opinion
OF the secretary Of war. Is not only lilo
scsl but offers serious menace.
Al the time OF the last reports from the
military departments. which were no
ceived IN October, it was found that tho
regular army numbered $50 men with
i,.M officers making total force OF
7s049. not increase during thu year OF
3. 421. The figures do not include the ;. $50
men OF the hospital corps.
OF the active officers OF the army. the
repor, calls attention TO the fact that
10e are detailed to special duty nearly
half of these. or 36. being distributed
among the various schools OF instructions
or the regular establishment or acting
as instructors in State educational insti-
tutions where feature is made Of military
training. While rhere were no serious
breaches Of military discipline during tho
year. Secretary Dickinson declares that
there can be no doubt that the discipline
and efficiency OF troops were lowered by
the continued absence OF so many COM
pany officers and the resulting frequent
changes Of company commanders.
The remedy for this condition. the re-
port declares. may be found In increaa-
ing the number Of officers and in the
massage OF legislation empowering the Sc
cretary OF war. whenever the occasion
demanded to :ppoint retired officers To
active duty temporarily. Under existing
law retired officer cannot be made sub
ject 10 orders. but his return to active
service is entirely voluntary. In putting
forward the need for some such authori-
cation, Secretary Dickinson says:
while It Is true that the duties per-
formed by these officers 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
cached pon, whore 1t is beyond Ques-
tior that the efficiency and discipline OF
the army are suffering therefrom. On
June 81. 1909 more than a third Of the
captains Of the mobile army were absent
from their proper commands on detached
service, Of such nature AZ to cause
them to be absent for some time. Includ-
Ing those captains who were temporarily
absent from their proper commands. on
detached service or otherwise, it 10 be-
lieved that less than one-halt of the COM
panies of the mobile army we're COM
manded by captains"
The report aho advocates more stren-
uous physical tests. President Roosevelt
inaugurated an annual test to determine :
the physical fitness Of officers ccinpell-
ing them to ride ninety miles in three
days or to walk fifty miles within the
Same time. This, IN tho opinion OF Ssore-
tary Dickinson, should be changed 80 Al
to compel officers to undertake . GER
tain amount OF prescyibed exercise ee ch
week. the amount to be certified by the
commanding officers IN their monthly re-
ports.
COOPERATION WITH MILITIA.
Cooperation Of the regular army with
the militia OF the States is strongly
urged The secretary outlines a plan to
accomplish this He would have the
country divided into number OF terri
torlal and tactical districts, 80 that the
militia may be conveniently comb!n ed
with the regular troops stationed ir those
districts into permanent brigadee. divi-
sions and corps for instruction and tact
ical organization.
In conjunction with the headquarters
of these combination divisions, the repor,
advocates tho establishment Of supply
depots which can be drawn upon for the
equipment Of an army In time OF need
Al such depots supplies would be carried
sufficient to outfit any additional volun-
teer force, UP to moderate plumber, thA
might be hastily recruited to complete
the organization Of an army corps
Attached TO the headquarters. also
the report declares there should be sta.
TONED a young and active officer Of the
regular army, whose duty II would he t.
instruct and direct the militia orxaniza
tons In the corps district. Such an Off
Ger, II Is pointed out. could issue no or.
ders TO tho militia. but it ia declared hs
should ne given power TO superv.ss the
equipment and instruction Of the volun.
teer troops Of his district and be held re-
sponsible for their mobilization and gem
eral condition.
1t is proposed to submit the ndoption
several States. II the States announce
their willingness to cooperate with the
war department, steps will he taken to-
ward putting the plan into action.
RE-ARRANGEMEN or POSTS
The matter Of II general re-arrargemen
of die various army posts occupies =
prominent place in the report The secre
tuly of war expresses h.s conviction that,
as now situated. the army posts do not
meet the requiI ements of The service,
many OF them being isolated and difficult
OF access.
The majority Of these posts. he points
OF, sprang into existence because in the
early days OF the West the regular army
WAS largely used for the protection OF
settlers from the lldisns. The Indians
have long since ceased To he a menace
to the whites. and the posts have out