The Detroit times., 1910-12-07
Need sos additional oa,e~r..


One OF the great difficulties In the
prompt organization and mobilization
OF militia and volunteer forces - the
absence or competent Officers OF the
rank or captain TO teach the new army,
by the unit OF the company. the bust
ness OF being soldiers and OF taking
care OF themselves 80 "a 10 render rt-
fectiVe service. This need of army
onlcers can only be supplied by pro-
visions OF Jaw authorizing the appoint
ment or "A greater number of army OF
ncers than are needed To supply the
commands OF regular army troops now
enough regular army officers TO COM
mand the troops now enlisted but con-
gress has authorized. and the depart
msnt has followed the example OF con
gress and exercised the authority con-
ferred by detailing these army officers
TO duty other than that OF the COM
mand or troops For Instance, there
are a large number OF army OFFICERS
assigned TO duty with military colleges
or In colleges In which military train
ing Is given. Then a large number OF
Officers are assigned To general stan
duty and there are various other
places TO which 'rmy officers can be
and are legally assigned. which take
them away from thei. regiments and
companies. Ia order that the militia
OF each state should be properly drilled
and made more like the regular army.
regular army officers should be de-
tailed TO assist The adjutant- general OF
each state in the supervision OF the
state militia. but this In impos-
sible unless provision Is made by
congress for very considerable
increase In the number or com.
pany and field officers or the army,
A bill was pending In the last session
or congress for this purpose. and
earnestly hope that In the interest OF
the proper development OF republican
army. an army, small In the time OF
peace hut possible OF prompt and ade-
I A ~ D. Ia lima af ahal
become possible under the laws OF the
United States.
bill. the strong argument for which
can be based on the ground quite
similar to that of the increased officers
Dill. IL the bill for the increase OF sixty
In the army engineers The army en-
Hineers are largely employed In the ex-
penditure or the moneys appropriated
Tor the Improvement or rivers and har-
oors. This In addition to their mill
tary duties. which includes the con-
struction or fortifications both OF our
coasts and In our dependencies. to-
gether with the number used In the
Panama canal work. requires many
more engineers than the army has. and
thls shortness OF supply I'm such offi-
GERS delays important river and hsrbor
work and important fertilization work.
earnestly recommend the passage of
this BILL which passed the house at the
last session and Is now pending In the
senate.
fOrttncattOns.
have directed that the estimates
Tor appropriation for the Improvement
or coast defenses In the United States
should be reduced To a minimum. while
those for. the completion OF the needed
I fortincations At torregidor in the Phil
iIpine Islands and at Pearl Harbor In
the Hawaiian Islands should be expe-
cited as much as possible. The propo-
sition 10 make Olengapo and Subig
Bay the naval base for the Pacific was
given up, and q Ia 10 be treated merely
as supply station, while the fortinca-
lions In the Philippines are 10 be
largely confined TO Corregidor Island
and the adjacent Islands which com
mand entrance TO Manila Bay and
which are being rendered impre enable
from land and sea attack The Pacific
naval base has been transferred 10
Pearl Harbor In the Hawaiian Islands
mis- neccssitates the heavy fortified =
ton OF the harbor and the establish
uent OF an Important military station
near Honolulu. 1 urge that all the es-
Inmates made by the war department
! for these purposes be approved by con
Sresstonal Appropriation
! Philippine Islands.
During the last summer. at my re-
quest the secretary OF war visited the
/ Philippine Islands and has described
/ his trip In his report. He found the
! Islands I'm IA state OF tranquility and
/ growing prosperity. due largely 10 the
/ change IN the tariff laws. which have
| opened the markets OF America 10 the
products OF the Philippines. and have
/ opened the Philippine markets to
American manufactures. The rapid in
Z crease in the trade between the two
I countries Is shown in the fullowl \
| table:
Philippine exports fiscal years 1905