Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-02
PHYSICAL TESTS FOR OFFICERS
Weekly Riding or Walking Stunts in
Addition to Annual Requirement.
TWENTY-FIVE MILLIONS WANTED
Estimnte for Fiscal Year About Eight
Millions Less Than Amount
Appropriated Last
Year.

WASHINGTON, Dec. MANY changes |
in the military establishment are suggested !
today by Secretary Of War Dickinson in
his annual report to the president.
The following are some of his recon- |
mendatons;
A change in the Roosevelt physical tests, |
so as to require OF officers in addition to |
the annual, a weekly riding or walking test !
The division of the United States into
territorial and tactical districts so that !
the organized militia of the states may
be conveniently combined with the regular |
army stationed therein into permanent |
brigades divisions and corps for nstruc- |
ton and tactical organization.
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 completion |
OF the fortification projects of the Philip |
pines, Honolulu and Pearl Harbor.
encouragement of rifle practice among |
the citizens and school boys. The estab- |
lishment of a national park at Niagara !
Falls to preserve its scenic features.
Ntnety-Ftve Millions Needed.
The secretary made public his estimates
to congress for the coming fiscal year, |
amounting to sos, 1926 S99 or about SS 900
less than was appropriated for the present
fiscal year.
AT the time of the last reports from the
military departments. which were received
in October, it was found that the regular
army numbered 71S4O men with 4,2o9 Off
increase during the year OF 3,42l. The
figures do not include the S,4S5 men of the
hospital corps.
OF the active officers OF the army. the
report calls attention to the fact that 729
are detailed to special duty, nearly half
OF these. or S45, being distributed among |
the various schools Of instruction of the
regular establishment or dcting as instruc-
tors in state educational institutions where
a feature is made OF military training.
While there were serious breaches of
military discipline during the year, Sec
retary 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 comItny commanders"
Demand for More Officers.
The remedy for this condition, the re-
port declares may be found in increasing
the number of Officers and in the passage
Of legislation empowering the secretary of
war, whenever the occasion demanded, to
appoint retired officers to active duty tenn
porarlly Under existing law retired
officer cannot be made subject to orders
NJ his return to active service is entirely
voluntary. In putting forward the need for
some such authorization. Secretary Dick
inson says;
while It is true that the duties per-
formed by these officers are, in the main
Of great Importance 10 the army or Of
material benefit to the country, the num-
ber of officers so separated from their
regular duties with troops has now reached
a point where II is beyond question that
the efficiency and discipline of the army
are suffering therefrom. On June 30, 1909
more than a third of the captains of the
mobile army were absent from their proper
commands on detached service, OF such a
nature as to cause them to be absent for
some time. Including those captains who
were temporarily absent from their proper
commands, 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"
Regular Physical Exercise.
The report also advocates more strenuous
physical tests. President Roosevelt in
augurated an annual test to determine the
physical fitness of Officers, compelling
them to ride ninety miles in three days or
to walk fifty miles within the same time
This in the opinion Of Secretary Dickln-
son, should be changed so as to compel
N,fv, 81
prescribed exercise each week, the amount
10 be certified by the commanding officers
In their monthly reports.
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 a number Of territorial and tactical
\ districts, so that the militia may be con-
Z yeniently combined with the regular troops
stationed in those districts into permanent
brigades divisions and corps for instruc-
tion and tactical organization.
In conjunction with the headquarters OF
these combination divisions, the report ad-
voeates the establishment OF supply depots.
which can be drawn upon for the equip
ment OF an army in time OF need At such
depots supplies would be carried sufficient
10 outfit any additional volunteer force.
up to moderate number that might be
hastily recruited to complete the organiza-
tion Of an army corps
Officers 10 Ala militia.
Attached to the headquarters, also. the
report declares there should be stationed
a young and active officer OF the regular
army whose duty Il would be to instruct
and direct the militia organizations in the
corps district. such an officer. it is pointed
out, could issue no orders to the militia
but Il is declared he should be given power
TO supervise the equipment and instruction
Nof the volunteer troops OF his district and
econtinueS ON second Pagc1