Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-06

diery. upon which its main reliance
must depend in case of any national
emergency. Plans for the organization
of the National Guard into tactical divi-
sions. on the same lines as those adopted
for the regular army. are being formulat-
ed by the War College division of the
general staff.
THE National Guard consists of only
about 10000 men. In any serious war in
the past 1t has always
National been necessary, and in
u.1A such a war in the fu-
'eoAS' ture 1t doubtless will be
necessary. for the nation to depend. In
addition to the regular army and the
National Guard. upon a large force of vol
unteers. There is at present no adequate
provision of law for the raising of such
a force. There Is now pending In Con-
gress, however. a bill which makes such
provision and which. believe. is admira-
bly, adapted to meet the exigencies which
would be presented in case of war. The
pa ssage Of the bill would not entail dol
lars expense upon the government at
this time or in the future until war
comes. But II war comes the methods
therein directed are in accordance with
they ought to be. and the act would pre-
vent the necessity for a discussion of
any legislation and the delays incident to
its consideration and adoption. ! ear
nestly urge its passage.
Il
THE army appropriation act Of 1912
also carried legislation for the CONSOLE
dalton of the quar-
Consolidating termaster's depart
Supply Corps. ae s~ en S' ans thee
pay corps into a single supply depart
ment. to be known as the Quartermas-
ter's Corps. 1t also provided for the or
ganization of a special force Of enlisted
men. to be known as the service corps.
gradually to replace many of the CT
william employees engaged in the manual
lieve that both of these enactments Will
improve the administration of our mil
itary establishment. The consolidation
Of the supply corps has already been eff
Ice corps Is being put into effect.
"AlI OF the foregoing reforms are in
the direction of economy and efficiency.
Except for the slight increase necessary
to garrison our outposts In Hawaii and
Panama. they do not call for a larger
army. but they do tend to produce a
much more efficient one. The only SUBJ
stantial new appropriations required are
those which. as 1 have pointed out. are
necessary to complete the Notifications
and barracks at our naval bases and out
posts beyond the sea.
Porto Rico continues to show notable
progress, both commercially and in the
spread of education. Its ex-
Porto ternal commerce has increased
NJ: II per cent over the preceding
A''"' year. bringing the total valu.
up to $92. 631 1856. or more than five times
the value Of the commerce of the island
In 1901. During the year 16O.657 pupils
were enrolled in the public schools, as
against 145.525 for the preceding year.
year of American administration. Spe-
cial efforts are under way for the promo
ton Of vocational and Industrial training,
the need Of which is particularly press
plague broke out last June the quick and
efficient response of the people of Porto
Rico to the demands of modern santa
ton was strikingly shown by the thor
ough campaign which was instituted
against the plague and the hearty public
opinion which supported the governments
efforts to check its progress and to pre-
vent its recurrence.
1.-The failure thus far to grant Ameri
can citizenship continues to be the only
ground of dissatisfaction. The bill con-
ferring such citizenship has passed the
House Of Representatives and Is now
awaiting the action of the Senate. I am
heartily in favor of the passage of this
bill. believe that the demand for citi-
zenship il Just, and that 1t is amply
earned by sustained loyalty on the part
of the Inhabitants of the island But 1t
should be remembered that the demand
must be. and in the minds of most Porto
Ricans is, entirely disassociated from any
thought of statehood. / believe that no
substantial approved public opinion in
the United States or in Porto Rico con-
templates statehood for the island as the
ultimate form of relation between us.
believe that the aim to be striven for is
the fullest possible allowance of legal
can citizenship as the bond between us:
In other words, relation analogous to
the present relation between Great Brit
ain and such self-governing colonies as
Canada and Australia This would con-
duce to the fullest and most self-sus-
tanning development of Porto Rico. while
at the same time 1t would grant her the
economic and political benefits Of being
under the American nag.
"A bill il pending in Congress which
revolutionizes the carefully worked-ou
scheme Of govern
Philippine ment, under which
Il.-I. the Philippine Is
~SPeaA~S~' lands are now gov
erned and which proposes to render
them virtually autonomous 1t once and