Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-07-18
70 REDUCE ARMY
POST ONE HALF
GENERAL WOOD DECLARES SUCH
ACTION NECESSARY.
EXPECT MUCH OPPOSITION
Move Is 10 Concentrate in Both the
Naval and Military De-
partmCutS,

Washington, July IA sweeping
change In the administration of the
army embracing the abandonment of
practically ouc-half of the 100 army
posts now In use is proposed ny the
War Department. according 20 the rec
cent admission OF Muj.-Gon Leonard
Wood, chief Of stan, before the House
committee on expenditures Iu tho War
department.
Tho announcement by General
Wood closely follows that Of Secretary
Meyer of the Navy who told the
house eomttee ON expenditures I'm the
Navy department that he contemplat-
ed abandoning all but three naval sta
lions ON the coast OF tho United states.
Need Recently Apparent.
Concentration is to be- tho watch
word in both the naval and military
establishments The danger attending
possible foreign invasion has prompt
ed tho navy department to consider
the concentration Of tho naval
/ strength, The mobilization on the
/ Mexican frontier, or rather the dim
Guilty in bringing about an effective
mobilization, IL behind the conviction
/ of the experts Of tho war department
| that number Of the smaller posts
should be abandoned,
81 trust that this committee win not
press me 20 name the army posts that
are to 'be abandoned" said General
/ Wood. "lf we were 10 announce this
! list I'm advance It would mean that the
department would be flooded with
protests That has been the trouble
heretofore IN recommending the aban-
/ donmont Of any post,
Local interests arc naturally
alarmed when It Is proposed to aban-
don any of these posts" said the chief
Of staff. They begin to offer obiec'
tons, and, in many instances, they
offer good ones.
"Yct the good OF the service de-
mands that a number Of these smaller
post be consolidated. If I have my
way. we will abandon perhaps one.
half Of the posts"
81 may say frankly that we now
have board at work on this problem
The board is composed Of experts
from the Army War College and wa
department Itself, and, as soon as tn,
board is able TO make It's report,
shall ask the consent OF Congress- to {
plan to concentrate our strength at {
central point"
Must Recruit Regiment.
General Wood admitted that tn
recent mobilization Of troops on tn,
Mexican frontier had not been an en-
tire success Viewed from the stand
point Of skeleton division. the mo
blllzatlon, said the chief Of stan hat
been n success II one considers thD
mastering Of the war-strongth Of {
division, NJ frankly admitted by Gen
eral Wood the mobilization had beer
a failure. After two months, ac
lmowledged General Wood, no regi
mcnt had been brought to IT'S full wal
strength, and those that approached
It had been supplemented with re
cruits
"Wo are not equipped with n re
serve supply Of artillery, ammunition
or other neCesSaries, added Genera
Wood, in explaining why the mobli2a
tion had been only partial success.
Scattered garrlsons," said Gen
eral Wood, have made the instruc
tlons Of officers IN command Of larg,
bodies Of troops practically impossi
BILE"
General Wood predicted that thcr,
viii be considerable objection 10 III,
abandonment Of any post that may b,
selected by the army board.
what kind Of influence is brough
TO prevent the abandonment Of thes,
posts?" Inquired Chairman Helm o
the committee. rs II POLITICAL"
General Wood replied that II wa
not necessarily political hut that TN
merchants citizens and officials Of an,
city naturally would fight n plan {,
take soldiers away from their partlcu
lar locality,