The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-10-18
GEN. WOODS PROGRAMME.

GEN. WOODS PROGRAMME
Major General Wood Is on tour
| of the Coast in special reference to
the putting into effect of his plan for
the location OF the concentrated or
CARNATIONS of tho army with view
TO having the troops available for de
Ccu,e ut any sudden call. His idch,
O. pressed generally y that there
should nc a Gordon of posts along zoe
Atlantic coast aud corresponding
Gordon on the Pacific coast. He wouid
+ have also strong post or two IN the
Southwest with view 10 the protcS-
tion Of tho Mexican border, The idea
OF concentrating the army INTO brigade
posts With duo regard 90 strategic dis'
:.ihui,cu and availability j. Geacral
wood g. ana uuloujtcd.y il Is q good
one. The only fault that could be
found With il is that II does not pro
vide for any reserve posts in the M
terror and entirely neglects our north
cru border Bat a to the latter ms
idea. no doubt. is that there is no dan
ger of any warfare between Great Brit
ain or Canada and the United states,
and this, under present conditions. IS
undoubtedly correct, But we think
that there ought to be reserve posts IN
the interior. and that these reserve
posts should have regular garriSonS
and should be the assembling posts Tor
the State militia.
As our laws are nj present. the CO.
relation between the militia or the Ma
tional Guard of the different states
and the regular army of the Nation Is
too weak. There is certain eonnec-
tion between them, 10 be sure, aud oc'
casionaIlv Joint action. as in the recent
military mancuycrS where troops from
Utah and other States joined ~ the
attuck and defense OF San FRAN
cisco. aud who're like attacks and de
feuscs are put up as TO New york.
Boston. and other cities. But the dlf-
ficultv. as a rule, which keeps back the
effective correlation between the state
military organizations and the regular
army j. that the states do not, as
a rule. have sufficient material for
officers in the militia, material that
is suitable for military purposes Utah,
TO be sure. is fortunate i'll having Gen
eral Wedgwood al the head of its mil
tarv organization. General Wcdgwood
has had experience in actual war, and
his proficiency as a commander cannon
be questioned But for the most part
the officers in the National Guards are
inexperienccd, and to greater or less
degree incompetent. Almost every
time that force OF National Guard
goes away to participate In military
maneuvers, there is complaint. more OF
less loud deep, and prolonged, about
certain disiointcdness. inconvenIcnces
and ineffectiveness; There Is the lack
of promptness, q failure 10 connect just
when and where planned. difficulty
about equipment, military supplies, and
rations. The ammunition at times Is
not fouul where it Is available, and
there is a lack OF transportation taclll'
ties lack of alert and instant move
ment. and the cooking arrangements
are often far below the critical taste
OF the men composing the militia, aud
the rations are decidedly inferior to
the food that regular OFFICER would
insist upon for his men.
The cure for all this sort OF thing
we believe to be in the detail OF regu
lar army officers, using officers on the
retired list to as large an extent as
possible, TO take command OF the mll''
tia or National Guard. and 70 enforce
compliance with orders and regnlS.
tious. II this were done, the NationaI
Guard would always be IN greater effl'
cheney than it is, and there would be
provided a wholesome and useful occu
patton for retired army Officers oi
whom we are getting 10 have such large
numbers. making no use OF them
whereas here is use that would No
doubt be agreeable 10 them. and would
certainly be immensely beneficial tt
/ the National Guards.