Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-12-21
army HEAD Wants
CANTEEN RESTORED

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-Major
General Leonard Wood, chief of
stan. in his annual report draws par
ticular attention to the shortage OF
material in the field artillery, which
he describes as constituting a source
OF danger to the United States in
case of war. He also advocates the
re-establ.shment of the canteen.
The chief of staff says that the
sentiment of the army is strong in
favor of return to the canteen plan.
In announcing his position in favor
of the idea he sets forth no detailed
reason.
"The existing want of field artillery
guns, carriages and ammunition con-
stitutes a grave menace to the public
safety in years of war. Ordinary pro-
dence would seem to indicate that
the appropriations, especially those
for field artillery guns, carriages and
ammunition, should be very greatly
increased" he says on this subject
"Once a state of war exists with first
class power there will be no oppor-
tunity to buy the material abroad OF
time to manufacture it at home, even
if all available plants in this country
were running at the maximum capac-
ity, without such delay as would be
fatal to our hopes of success. This
shortage of field artillery material Is
the most serious feature of the pres
ent military situation and one which
should be Immediately corrected. 1t
constitutes a source of grave dam
ger"
Major General Woods report con.
tains recommendations for organizing
proper tactical units and commands
in the army and concentrating such
commands near the centers of popu-
lation and supply.
"Such concentration" he says, will.
result in great economy of admins.
tration and marked improvement in
the efficiency of both officers and
men. It is recommended that six d.
visions and a cavalry division. with
tho necessary auxiliary troops, be or
ganized, one division in the Philip
pnes, one distributed between Hawaii
and one cavalry division in the Unit
ed States, and that these divisions
should be fully equipped.
'One of the first steps which
should be taken is the arrangement
of the larger garrisons with view
to the formation of proper tactical
units. Brigades of cavalry and in
fantry should be assembled wherever
practicable, in order that officers may
have some opportunity to handle
larger units than is at present posi-.
Bile. Our responsibilities and the de-
mands upon the army have increased
so rapidly in the last few years that
a considerable increase in the en-
listed strength of the mobile army,
especially the infantry, is needed ad.
equately to meet them.
In view of the great importance
of securely holding the Canal Zone
and the Hawaiian Islands it Is in my
opinion now urgently necessary to
garrison them with an adequate force
in addition to maintaining garrisons
of present strength n the Philippine
Islands, Alaska and Puerto Rico. To
accomplish this, and at the same time
reduce a number of organizations in
the United States as little as posi-
bic it will be necessary to increase
the enlisted strength of organizations
in the Philippine Islands, the Hawa-
iian Islands and the Canal Zone to
strength of one hundred and fifty men
per infantry company and to main
tain the other arms in full strength"