The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-03-17
SIX REGIMENTS
OF INFANTRY
WAR DEPARTMENT. PLANS TO
SEND THAT MANY MEM ron
STATION MERE

Six regiments Of infantry are soon to
be stationed on Oahu, II the plans Of
the war department can be carried out.
The military authorities at Wash.
ington have had under consideration
the statiOning Of the half.dozeu regi.
ments from the infantry branch OF the
service, in addition to one regiment Of
cavalry, at least two.thirds of a regi-
ment Of field artillery, at least six COM
panies of coast artillery, company
of engineers and detachment of the
signal corps, but the proposed fortified.
tion of the Panama Canal may cut into
the original plans and retard the up
building of the military establishment
here. The latter may in time become
so large and of such vast Importance
that 1t may be elevated to the dignity
of separate department, instead of
continuing as a district, responsible to
the department Of California.
The war department is now working
on plan for the extension OF the
period of duty in the tropics and sub
tropics, Hawaii coming under the latter
classification. This subject has come
up at this time in connection with the
assignment of. troops to duty on the
Isthmus of Panama. There will be a
heavy draft upon the army for this
purpose, the present plans contemplate
ing a permanent military force of four
regiments of infantry, one squadron of
cavalry, three batteries Of field artil-
Iery and twelve companies of coast ar
tillery. This means total garrison of
about sixty-three hundred, of which the
mobile army will supply five thousand.
Added to this demand for troops, the
department is confronted with the
problem of placing the six regiments
of infantry in the Hawaiian Islands,
while maintaining the present enlisted
strength in the military representation
in the Philippines. 1t appears to be
out of the question to obtain authority
from congress for the enlargement of
the army to meet these new demands,
especially in view of the expenditure
of money necessary in the construction
of canal Notifications and the provision
of barracks and quarters on the 18TH
mus and in Hawaii.
1t has been decided, therefore, to
withdraw troops from various posts in
the United States as the necessity
arises. There will, therefore, be less
service for troops in the United States
and a corresponding increase in the
length Of time troops must serve on
the isthmus, in Hawaii and in the Phil
ippines. It is we'll known that the
President has favored an extension of
this period. He urged this while he
was secretary of war, and has never
been separated from the idea that Off
GERS and troops could serve in the
Philippines for tours of duty there
longer than the present two years.
General Wood is also in favor of the
extension of time. He believes that
the protection of health insured by
army sanitation justifies keeping troops
in the Philippines, as on the isthmus,
for three years. He has pointed out
that the enlisted men Of the army do
not reenlist after one term Of service
to a greater extent than about thirty
five per cent of the force; SO that, in
the end, the troops would not be on
this service for an average of more
than three years.
So far as the force in Panama is
concerned, it has practically been de-
cided to make the tour of duty for
three years, and the department is now
considering the lengthening of the term
of service for like period in the
Philippines.
Six Thousand Men,
Al