The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-12-22

1
his annual report 10 the President
Secretary Of War Btimson deaiared
that the contingency OF war with q
nrstclaas power would find the Army
Of the Upted States practically un-
prepared lie attributed this largely
TO the fscg tha' the army was scat
tered out over the country" in too
many pops and 20 q lack OF reserves
The army on the peace footRne habit \
ually maintained with minis lure com
ponies and troops, he characterized as
L ineffective for serious war service.
As 10 the unpreparedness of the army
in artillery and ammunition, Secretary
Stimson says that at the present
rate Of appropriation it is estimated
that IL would take more than fifty
years to secure a reasonably supply
of field artillery guns, carris ges and
ammunition that would be, necessary
in the event of war"
Congress is urged to express its
wishes regarding the diF posal OF the
unoccupied friar lands in the Philip.
pines, TO increase the limit of indebt.
edness that may be incurred by the
Philippine govern, hent for public
works from $1,000 500 TO $4,000. 600.
to pass a Philip pine naturalization
law, and to grant pensions to Ameri-
cans who have SERVED ten years IN
the islands.
Operation OT the Canal.
Secretary StimIson recommends that
the permanent organization to oper.
ate the Panama canal be established
on a strictly business basis and not
with the idea of uplifting or govern
ing a dependent people The ques-
ton OF tolls he believes, should be
left to the determination of the Pres.
ident. American shipping should be
granted practically free use of the
canal. I 10,
The army posts as now located are
declared TO- be wholly unsuitable.
They were originally located with ref
er'shCe to possible Indian troubles,
IND few of them are in positions
y suited to meet the strategic needs of
national action or defense. The aver.
age n.umber of companies to each Of
the forty-nine posts is only nine.
/ SIN short" says the Secretary, eve
have scattered our army over the
Il Ctldntry as if it were merely groups
\ of local constabulary instead of a ma
tional organization. The result is an
army which is extraordinarily ex-
pensive to maintain, and one whose
effcieucybfor the main purpose OF its
existence has been nullifed so far as
geographical locations can nullify It.
Cavalry to Go South.
The Secretary says it is contem
plated to remove the cavalry situated
in the far northern posts to the south
ward, substituting infantry for them
The Texas maneuvers have shown
the admirable adoption of the south
western states for cavalry training
and drill at all seasons, whereas !r
the far north for many months in the
year 1t is impossible to drill outdoors
4 The Secretary commits himself IN
qualifiedly to the theory that it is {
function of the modern army to be The
school of the citizen soldier, as op
posed to those who contend for per
I manent organization of professional
soldiers. Therefore the Secretary dis
approves of the long term Of enlist
ment and favors the shortening OF the
present term to less than three years
so as to allow as many men as pos
silJle to go through the training of the
II regular army, the government retain
= ing some hold over the discharged
soldier by which he can be called Il
the colors in case of war.
The Secretary denounces as snort
sighted a system which fails to dis
tinguish between hardened criminals
and thoughtless offenders agains
military law, and declares for imme
date radical reform in the army pris
ons.
Economy Legislation.
WASHINGTON. December 10Th
most important army legislation tina
has passed Congress in years will b
enacted at this session, according
the understanding that now exists
the capital.
This legislation is expected to il
clude the consolidation Of the quartz
masters, subsistence and pay depar
ments, which are now separated int
single departments; the lengthening
the term of enlistment to five years
provision for the enlistment of ser
ice corps in the army and the loppin
of expenditures for construction
army posts, which were once impor
ant, but have now become useless fC
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