Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-26
Number of Army Posts to Be
Reduced One Half.
WILL RESULT IN ECONOMY
Gen. Wood Discusses Matter Before
House Committee.
SMALL STATIONS UNDESIRABLE
Chief of Staff Calls Texas Maneuvers
Successful as Mobilization Of
Skeleton Force.

The War Department is preparing to
reduce the number of army posts in the
United States by one-half, according to
Maj. Gen. Leonard Wood, chief Of staff
of the army, who was a witness today
before the House committee on expendi-
lures in the War Department. This is In
line with the policy of concentration Of
the armed land forces of the United
States, which has been worked out by
the Army War College and eventually.
Gen Wood said. will result in economy.
But owing to what he called the ''ill-ad-
vised" location Of army posts in past
years and the continuing expenditure of
money on them, It appeared to the COM
mittee as If. initially. the government
will have to abandon millions Of dollars
worth of property il the general staff
plan Is carried out.
Commenting on the recent activity OF
United States troops along the Mexican
frontier, Gen. Wood said that the propo-
sition, as q mobilization OF skeleton
force, was q success, but as mobilfza-
ton of a war-strength division was q
failure. There had been. he said. no ade-
quate preparation for reserve war sup
plies.
Committee Is Interested.
The committee of which Representative
Harvey Helm OF Kentucky. is chairman.
seemed much interested in Cen. Woods
comments on small and large garrisone
and in the department plan to abolish
one-half Of the existing army posts.
Scattered small garrisons,' said Gen:
Wood, have rendered the instruction OF
officers in the command OF large bodies
OF troops practically impossible.
,-fc
reasons. the chief of staff said. One OF
the main objections was that at small
post a large percentage Of the men were
always busy cleaning up and doing police
duty.
''Fhis condition" he said, us discour-
aging both to officers and men. At a
battalion post, with sixty-five men TO
the company. an officer who can turn out
twenty-five for drill is fortunate. So the
small post is undesirable, not only from
an economic standpoint, but also from
the standpoint of straight military effici-
ency." :.
Gen. Wood explained that by a small
post" he meant post OF less than one
regiment, and added that by far the
greater part of the army was scattered
around the country In this way. The
War Department was considerably en-
barrased in making plans for the aban-
donment of many or these posts. Gen.
Wood said, by the fact that a great
In recent years. He displayed hesitancy
in critcising the policy Of former heads
of the War Department and the military
establishment that had permitted the car
rying out Of this policy. but finally de-
scribed the process as iii advised" Gen.
Wood also spoke of local influence as an
embarrassment to the department in it's
efforts to abolish many OF the existing
posts.
Maneuvers Along Border.
Were the Texas maneuvres success?'
Chairman Helm inquired.
Yes" the general replied. "in so far as
getting the regular regiments to the front
on time was concerned. There was no
delay on the part of the troops, but we
gave the railroads practically no advance
notice and in some cases there was a
delay in getting cars to transport the
men,
Did the mobilization demonstrate the
lack of team work in the army Organiza-
uon?" Mr.. Helm inquired.
No od sovo n cr