Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-11-25

I Major General wood is DESTROYS OF enc
couragng regular physical eNercls6 on the
part OF army officers on duty I'm Wash
ington. and he has had under discussion
with the secretary Of war this week
plan which would accomplish this end more
effectually than seems to be possible under
existing conditions. The result has been
the issue Of a circular letter TO chief Of
bureaus I'm the War department renew
ing the provisions OF the departmental let
ter OF February Is. 1905 which provided
that army officers on duty i'm the depart
ment should, II possible, devote one hour
day or two afternoons week to exercise
In the open air. The memorandum on the
subject follows
In view Of War department orders re-
curing officers to take systematic and
regular exercise, with view of their being
always in condition for field service, the
secretary of war directs that the attention
Of all bureau chiefs be called to the letter
on this subject Of February 15 1908, and
that office work ON Sunday be not required
Of officers except i'm cases of actual
emergency"
The difficulty will continue to be In the
cases of those officers who cannot find
the time to get away for the allotted
periods for the purpose indicated.
some interesting allIHOns are likely to
be made by the secretary OF war in his
forthcoming annual report concerning the
relations Of the organized militia 70 the
general government 1t is appreciated by
the conservative army officers, whose view
has impressed Secretary Dickinson, that
the existing militia law, for which Senator
Dick is mainly responsible, is defective in
some important particulars. In the first
place, 1t contains no assurance that the
organized militia will be readily available
for service under the president upon the
call Of the chief executive without inter
ference from the state authorities. The
provisions which aim, In words to furnish
such q guaranty are, in the end, merely
pretexts Of phraseology, upon which It is
not safe to depend. 1t is understood that
Mr.. Dickinson will point this out to CON
gress as one of the things which should
be corrected in whatever Is done during
the coming session for the benefit of the
militia. 1t is likely, therefore to come
up in connection with the bill, which aims
to increase the pay Of officers and en-
listed men of the militia. 1t is probable
that the War department viii not lend
its approval to such a project, unless 1t Is
possible to make such amendments Of the
existing militia law as will insure the
availability Of the militia for national de-
Tense without the hindrances which are
likely to occur under the prevailing statute. !
The surgeon general Of the army has
this week renewed his previous fecom- |
incubation for universal vaccination in the |
army against typhoid fever. The sugges- |
"A nm, n
not receive departmental approval. 1t is |
now pointed out by General Torney that
the medical officers have accomplished all
that is practicable in the way OF voluntary
vaccination against typhoid fever, and that
the innocuousness of this procedure has |
been entirely demonstrated. It's protective
value is now believed to be as perfectly |
demonstrated any fact in medicine and |
IL IL Is desired by the War department that
the army have the benefit Of this protec- |
ton, the time has come to require IL as a |
routine procedure throughout the army. |
Although no age is entirely exempt from
typhoid fever, IL is essentially disease OF |
adolescence. individuals who have reached
middle age have usually been exposed to
the infection and are either immune be-
cause of a previous attack or because Of
natural immunity. It is believed to be rea- |
sohaUIs 10 except from the universal vac |
cinatiOn Of the army all persons over IS |
years Of age and all who give a reliable |
history Of having had an attack of the dis |
ease. Surgeons should also be authorized |
to excuse any person for reasons Of health |
provided the exception is approved by the
chief surgeon Of the department. Recruits
should, of course, be vaccinated immed- |
ately after enlistment, but revaccinations
upon re-ennstment should not be required
according to the proposition Of General
Torney.