El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-10

Reflections at the Recruiting
Stations Show u. S. Weak
Nation Physically.
FEDERAL RAILWAY
MADE TO PAY


men comprising IT'S personnel of any
army in the world; the hookworm also
exists in the army; there is q shortge of
guns for the field artillery. according
TO the report of the secretary of war,
j. W. Dickinson, made public today.
He also decries the shortage of Of
ficers with the troops. declares that
assertions are being annually reduced
and shows that a federal railroad can
be made to pay by quoting figures to
show that the Panama railroad piled
up a nice sum of net earnings during
the year.
The secretary also offers some food
for reflection on the possible physical
degeneracy of the nation in the large
number OF applicants for enlistment re-
ported rejected as unfit for the service.
Touching on the latter he says:
In making enEstments during the
year the recruiting officers examined
10O,99e men. of whom S1,S7S, or about
81 percent of the whole Number, were
rejected as lacking in eitner mental.
moral. or physical qualifications. OF
this number, however, 1929. or about
u percent, were rejected because of
lack of prior military service
The essential features differentiating
the present enlistment system from the
methods formerly in force are that ap-
plicants are not now enlisted at recruit
ing stations but are merely accepted
there and then sent to recruit depots
for physical examination and enlistment
if found qualified. Under the new sys-
TEN, each recruit upon arrival at the
depot is carefully examined by army
medical officers of experience; for
merly, where recruitseEer enlisted at
stations, the recruiting officer had 10
rely on the advice OF civilian physicians
unfamiliar with tae requirements of the
military service.
Diseases i'm the Army.
OF the existing diseases in the army.
the secretary makes the following
somewhat startling statement:
The diseases causing the greatest
noneffective rates in the army were in
the order of their Importance: VenereaI
diseases, tuberculosis. articular rheu-
matism, malarial fevers, dysentery.
acute bronchitis. typhoid fever, diar-
rhoea and enteritis, and measles. While
the infectious diseases generally showed
a diminished prevalence, there is un-
no improvements the sick
rate for general diseases, which caused
during the year more sickness and non
than all the other diseases
named In the preceding sentence As
regards venereal diseases the American
army maintains its bad eminence as
compared with the armies of the other
great nations. The number of men
constantly excused from duty averages
975, the equivalent to more than an en-
tire regiment at its peace strength If
congress should authorize the stoppage
of pay in the case of men untitled for
duty on account of these diseases and
alcoholism, it might exercise a de-
terrent effect
Hookworm in Army
Hookworm infection has been found
in considerable proportion of southern
bred recruits At the recruit depot, Co
lumbus Barracks. Ohio, a routine exam
ination of all southern bred recruits ad-
nitted to hospital during II mcaths.
264 in number, showed SO, or 81 per-
cent. TO be-infected. AS the severe cases
are excluded by the recruiting officers
before reaching the surgeons, it is rea-
sonable to suppose that the percentage
In most of the southern states is higher
than 81 percent This infection exists /
also in the Philippine Islands.
Diseases in Colonial Possessions.
Alaska as in former years. had the |
best record of health, in which it de- |
cidedly exceled the United States, which |
stands second. followed by Porto Rico, |
Hawaii, and the Philippines in the or /
pines. however, Improve year by year, /
and now approximate more closely to /
Hose of the United States than those /
Of the United States do to Alaska
A remarkable fact is that no deaths /
from sun stroke or snake bite 1
among the troops in the tropics nor 1
from cold among the troops in Alaska |
and along the northern frontier.
Panama Railroad Pays.
That government railroad can be /
made to pay is shown by the following: |
During the past fiscal year the opera i
lions of the Panama Railroad company /
nave been carried on under the open /
ioor'' policy. After meeting the total |
cost of operation, together with fixed I
charges. aggregating S487,5S4.11, and |
charges for depreciation of rolling
stock, floating equipment, and COM
plant. amounting to 1914, SS7.12,
he net earnings during the fiscal year
amounted to s1,254, 777.S0, the greater
part of which amount was applied to
. reduction of the company's indebted !
sums previously advanced under the /
authority of congress.
DesertiOls
For a number of years past extraor-
iinary efforts have been made by the
department to reduce desertion, says 1
he secretary. 1t is gratifying to be /
lbie to report that the number of de-
;ertions was 3O.6 percent less than for
he preceding year. and that the 1864
assertions give percentage of 3.e6 for
80 against 4.97 for 1909
Strength of Army.
The actual strength of the regular
Lrmy is 43IO officers and 67,459 en-
listed men, a total of 71,7e9- As COM
jared with the strength reported last
ear. this shows an increase of 1O1 Of
icers and a decrease OF 1881 enlisted
nen, making a net decrease of the reg
liar army during the year of 1850.
'hese figures do not include the 34S6
len of the hospital corps nor 166 Of
icers and 500 enlisted men of the
'hilippine Scouts. There are q general
Ulcers in active service
In the Philippines there are 1882
OCULAR soldiers and in Alaska 1928. In
orto Rico there are 604 and in Hawaii
S7I.
Retired Officers.
Eighty officers were retired during