The Detroit times., 1909-12-10
TROPICAL SERVICE
DECIMATES Ranks
Of SOLDIERS
Congress Will BE Asked To Increase
Infantry To Lengthen Intervals
OF Service in Sections Where
Death Lays Heavy Hand.
Frequent Trips Reduces the Eli
cheney Of Those Who Are Not
Claimed by Disease
az n. LEE cLorwoRrHY.

] H.
/ SAN FRANCISCO. Cal. Declu. -
/ Congress Witl be asked dis winter 10
Iprovide Tor sufficient increase OF N
I lantry To lengthen the Intervals cot
tropical service.
TN. reasons are. for the most pafi,
/ the present appalling ana needless loss
OF lie and monye. TO the nation, III
. time OF peace The physical mapi'
restotion OF the reasons can be seen
al the United states Army transpo"i
docks right here In san Francisco. II
is MOI necessary 10 90 TO the ,ropioS.
There are Two great national N
surance organizations. the Army and
the Navy. >,
Each wear hundreds Of millions OF
dollars are paid to these organizations
for security insurance against htcrh-
al disorder and foreign aggression.
The fundamental principle OF all IN
surance is to accumulate assets dur-
ing normal periods TO meet eXcesS'v"
los, incident to the inevitable peflJuS
OF abnormal conditions.
The assets OF the ordinary lnsur-
auce CORPORATION engaged m lssueinS
policics asainst fire or life loss are
computed IN dollars.
Ranks HeOuCeO OJ CiS~~SSs
Tho assets Of our military nsnf-
ance organlYation which secures on;
national prestige and internal peace
are computed in men, equipment ara !
discipline.
In time OF peace our military ser
vice is naturally supposed to be uhoe'-
going perfection IN organization %
mecJ the eXigencies OF war the sah'" /
as private insurance corporation Is
during normal periods, strengi hehlhe
It's assets TO meet pestllence or con
fagration As Il notorious tact known
40 every student OF defense proDlens
orr mobile army, owing To lnddtou'
ate numbers and imperfect orgahiz"-
zion. instead Of being perfected Tor
the demands OF war Is being declilal'
ed by disease in an effort 10 meet
the peace Time demands maze upon
Is.
Upon the infantry line which carries
the heart" aud punch OF the army.
excessive tropical services mas iale
heavily the hama OF death during
these days OF peace. with Dnt ~
regiments OF infantry from which 70
draw HE principal sarrisons of our
ovcrsea possessions. The tours or
intervals that neither officers nor
men have opportunity 10 recaperate
from lhe effects ot the eneryatiuS eli
ratc before being ordered again 20
tna rr0Dics. the tStn regiment % IN
fautry which has Just returned from
the completion Of its third tour 81
r,ilfppine service since 1898 offers
startling loss the nation is apathellcal-
a
consequence of our supposedly eco
monte uolicv Of military defense.
20 Officers Victims.
or the d3 officers in the prime OF
life who sailed with this regiment 10
the Philippine in 1898 only - yet
r. main on the rolls OF the army. oi
The a officers who have been killed,
or incapacitated for active service
only were lost in action. The re-
naming 20 were victims OF excessive
tropical service.
Since 1888 this regiment the
foreign service OF which is IN 80
measure exceptional. has served near
liz seven and a half years in the PM
ippines aud less than four and hair
yeIs In the United states.
Eliminating all sentiment which I'M
necessary sacrifice Of life always
arouses; eliminating all theorctical
value Of the service OF these trained
military leaders to the government;
eliminating the incidental weakenln1
OF the military organization through .
the loss of highly trained officers anu
reducing the value Of these men 20
dollars and cents We find that the gov
eminent has invested approximately
$4,000 in each Of these officers. fhc I
loss entailed from the 20 victims ~ (
excessive service approximates 500
600 The incidental additions 10 the
pension list adds an annual expense
OF $40. goo
Following out the same ratio " loss
in the 80 regiments OF infantry We
find an initial loss of $1,000 ,O00 IN
morley actually expended in the train
in of these officers and an increase
to our stupendCus pension burden or
Sl 2OO0 GOO por annum With the loss
of ,his amount goes the more danger
nus loss. the loss of efficiency - orr (
frhtiuc line. Instead OF our mcDll" +
frhiinr line. being perfected Tor war
IL is being daily weakened through
The unnecessary sacrifice OF the lives
or orr trained fighting men. To cor .
reril\ thiA intolera6le condition con /
prcss viii be asked this winter not J
only 10 nroyila Tor sufficient increase
of infantry to lengthcn the intervals
for tropical service. but also - pro-
vide The necessary military vertehrae :
for the loss highly Disciplined state
tronns which would he called Unon 10
stand the first shock of conhic'.