The Detroit times., 1910-12-07

rfoteetion to be accorded TO our home
Industries. are questions which the
people must decide through their
chosen representatives, but whatever
policy Is adopted. IL Is clear thar tnS
necessary legislation should be based
~on an Impartial thorough ana con-
tinuous study ar the facts.
thanking and CURRENCY Reform"
The method OF Impartial sclehtlnc
study by experts as preliminary ="
legislation. which hope To see ultl
mately adopted as our nNed natlohal
policy with respect To the tarlu, rivers
and harbors. waterways, ana pupilc
buildings. Is also being pursued py the
non partisan monetary commission Q.
congress. An exhaustive anu most
valuable study OF the banking anu
currency systems Of foreign countries
has been completed
a comparison of the business meth,
DDS and institutions OF our powerful
and successful commercial rivals Win
our own. is sure 10 De OF inhense
value. l urge upon congress ths I'M
portance OF non partisan ana ulsih-
terest.d study and consideration OF our
banking and currency system IL "
idle TO dream OF commercial expansion,
and Of the development OF our hatioha'
trade on a scale that measures UP 10
our matchless opportunities. unless we
can lay solid foundation In sound
and enduring barking and currency
system The problem Is not partisan
~
VAR Department.
Tho war department has within Its
juris dlction the management or the
army and. In connection herewith tue
coast defenses, the government OF tue
dependencies OF the Philippines and OF
plans for the Improvement OF harbors
and waterways, and their execution
when adopted and. by virtue or an eN-
ecative order. the supervision or the
construction OF the Panama canal
The army OF the United states Is
small body compared with the totai
number Of people for the preserN"tlon
OF whose peace and good ordet IL Is
Last recourse The army now huinpeIs
about 10000 men, OF whom about ls.VOS
are engaged In the coast artllletE anu
detailed 10 the management anu vs.
OF the guns in the forts and batteries
that protect our coasts. the rest ~
the army. or about $4,000. is the mohiie
part OF our national forces and Is "
Vided into 81 regiments OF intdhliN' ~,
Guiding the Porto Rican regiment,
regiments OF cavalry, regiments VI
field artillery, "A corps OF ordnance. OF
engineers. and OF signal. quar'eI
masters department. a comhlssaFs NC
partment. and medical corps
The general plan for an army OF IN.
United states at peace should be tha'
OF "a skeleton organization with an eN-
cess OF trained officers ana thus Sap
able OF rapid enlargement by ehllst
ments. u Dt SupHAtiitliNtN 40
gency by the national militia and a
volunteer force. In some measure TINS
plan has been adopted IN the very
large proportion OF cavalry anu he,u
artillery as compared with infantry IN
the present army and on a peace basis
An infantr" force can be trained IN SIN
months; a cavalry or a light hrtttely
force not under one and one mar y,
two years. hence the Importance OF
having ready a larger number OF the
more skilled soldiers.
The militia system. for which con-
gress by the Constitution IS auth"l
ized 10 pro"ide. was developed by tue
so-called Dick law, under whlch tut
discipline. the tactics, the drill tne
rank the uniform, ana the Natlous
branches OF the militia are assimllated
as far as possible TO those OF the reg
ular army. Under the militia law AS
the Constitution provides. the Cover
nors OF the states appoint the U!litIu
oricers, but. by appropriations from
congress states have been induced TO
comply with the rules OF assimilation
between the regular army ana 'le
militia so that now there is lorce'
the EFFICIENCY or which differs In diner
emit states. which could be inCorpor-
ated under a single command with the
regular army, and which Tor some Vlns
each year receives the benefit OF drlis
| end maneuvers undcr conditions APP
nroximating actual military service un-
I der the supervision or regular army
officers.
In tie army OF the United states. IN
| addition ID the regular forces and the
| n,ilitts forces which may be summoned
/ TO the defense OF the nation ny the
| president. there is also the volunteer
/ force, which made up very large par,
OF the army ia the CIVIL war. anu
! which In any war OF Ions continuance
would become Its most important con-
| stituent There is act which dates
! from the Civil War known as the Vol
unteer Act, which makes prov ision Tor
the enlistment or COUNTERS IN III.
army OF the United states In time OF
war This was found to be so defec-
! tive In the Philippine war that a spe-
cial act for the organization or Noiuh-
J teer regiments to take part III that war
was adopted and IL was much better
adapted TO the necessities OF the case
/ There Is now pending in congress hlll
repcaiing the present Volunteer Act and
/ making provision for the organization
! OF volunteer forces In time or war
which is admirably adapted To meet
| the exigencics which would be then
presented The passage of the bill
| would not entail a dollars expense
upon the government at this time. or
I'm the future. until war comes, nul
| when war does come the methods
| therein directed are in accordance with
the best military Judgment as To what
they ought TO be. and the act would
/ prevent the necessity for the discussion
/ Of new legislation and the delays Incl
dent to its consideration ard adoption.
IN earnestly urge the pesSGge OF this
Volunteer Bill
| further recommend that congress
| establish commission tC determine
as early as practicabls comprehen-
! sive policy for the organization. mobil
I iZation ard administration Of the reg
liar army the organized militia. and
the volunteer forces IN the event Of
war.