The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-11
Present System Keeps
Land Forces in Inef-
fective Condition.
STIMSON SHOWS
IT'S WEAK POINTS
Secretary ofWar Says That With
Minor Usefulness, Cost Per
Man for United States
Troops Is Far Greater
Than in Other Coun-
tries.

Washington D. c., December 10
IN MS annual report to the President
today, Secretary of War Stimson de-
ciared that the contingency OF war
with hrst-class power would find tho
srmy of the United States practically
unprepared. He attributed this large.
IS to the fact that the army was scat
tered out over the country" In too
many posts. and TO lack of reserves
ne army. on the peace footing ha bit
uaily maintained. with miniature COM
panles and troops. he characterized as
neItsctlVe Tor any serious war service
AS TO the unpreparedness of the army
IN artiilery and ammunition. Secretary
Sumson says that "at the present rate
OF appropriation 1t Is estimated that IL
"ould take more than fifty, years to Sc
cure n reasonable supply Of field artll-
iery guns, carriages and ammunition
tnat would be necessary in the event
of war" =
Expense Per RIfcman.
The report makes the somewhat start
ing statement that at conservative
estimate. the Expense per effective
rineman in the United States Army is
between two and 1--WE times as mucn g
any hrst- class power on the continent
oil Europe. This compa rison Is made
AFTER excluding from onsid era ton the
nigher pay and better subsistence that
american soldiers receive. This fact is
stated as an illustra ton, Secretary
stimson declares. of the extrava gancp
OF the existing system of wide dis,ri-
button Of the army.
Dealing with insular affairs, the Sec
rotary of War urges that the right, of
American citizenship be granted to the
natives of Porto Rico. A Porto Rican
travelling abroad now is literally q man
without country, and Mr.. Stlmson says
mat continued refusal to grant citi.
zenship to the islanders will .'grayely
wound the sensibilities OF this loyal
people" The demand for citizenship of
inc Porto Ricans Is entirely disassoci-
dted from any thought of statehood
and # is asserted that neither In the
United States nor in Porto Rico is
there any contemplation of statehood
as, the ultimate form of government
In the island.
Congress is urged to express its
wishes regarding the disposal of the
unoccupied fria- lands In the Philip
pines. to Increase the limit OF indebt-
eaness which may be incurred by the
philippine government for public
works from 100000 to $4,000, 600
to pass Philippine naturalization law
and 10 grant pensions to Americans who
nave served ten years in the islands
Asks business Bnsfs.
secretary Stimson recommends that
The permanent organization to operate
the Panama Canal be established on a
strictly business basis, and not with
the IDEA OF uplifting or governing O
dependent people. The question Of
tolls. he believes. should be left TO the
determinati ton OF the President, based
upon acquired experience. American
shipping should be granted practically
Tree use of the canal. The Interstate
Commerce Commission should extend its
jurisdiction over the new transcontinen.
tai route through the waterway and TO
regulate rates, thus preventing the
great railway interests from exercising
control. While the government should
build and operate dry docks, repair
shops and coaling stations along the
canal. Secretary Stimson urges the op.
portunity be offered for the sale of
coal and other supplies by private per-
sons
Secretary Stlmson takes a stand with
his rredecessors-Root Taft, Wright
and Dickinson-in favor OF system of
selection in making army promotions.
instead OF complete reliance upon the
rule OF seniority. He notes distinct
Improvement IN tho personnel, but de.
clarcs that there is much dead wood in
the army and many backward tendon
cies.
Army Posts Unft.
The army posts as at present located
are declared to be wholly unit and to
lead to great extravaganza. They
We're originally in many cases loca ted
with reference to possible Indian
troubles. and few of them are In no.
sitions suited to meet the strategic
needs of national action or defense.
The average number of companies to
each Of the forty-nins posts is only
n'ne.
I'm short" says the secretary, I'VE
have scattered our army over the coun-
try as III 1t were merely groups OF
local constabulary instead of a ma
army which is extraordinarily expen-
sive to maintain and ono whose eff
cheney for the main purpose of It's ex.
istence, has been nullified so far as
geographical location can nullify II,
It Is true that the small units into
which 1t has thus been subdivIded
have. as q whole. maintained efficiency
to a remarkable extent. ~. But for
the remote contingency by which a
national army must be always judged
namely, the contingency Of war
with hrst-class power. the army ia
practically unprepared."
gaining attention TO the TACT that
upwards OF $4,000, 900 has been spent
on existing army posts, and that the
profit which each post furnishes, to
communities causes strong
local pressue against any change in
location. the secretary declares that,
steps have been taken,
and others are in the course OF prose-
cution to correct as far as possible
these faults OF ,organizatio1.
t,E bring Cavalry South,
. 1t is, also in contemplation to remove
the cavalry situated In the far North,