The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-29
SHOULD ABANDON EIGHTEEN POSTS
 OF REGULAR ARMY
MT. StimsOn Wants Drastic Changes in Distribu-
 tiOn of Troops
COULD SAVE MANY
 MILLIONS YEARLY
War Secretary's Report in Answer to House Resolution Develops Inter- esting Information Regard
 ing Strategists' Plans

tStlnS HUI haNkoAt
 ing Strategists' Plans
 Washington, January 2s.-Secretary Of War Stimson, acting upon an exhaustive report from the general staff, has decided that no less than 16 and probably IS. ex- isting army posts should al once be aban- doned "ln order to put an end to the ex- travagance and inefficiency resulting from improper distribution of the mobile army"
 The posts condemned are: Apache, Ariz.; Boise Barracks, Idaho; Brady, Mich; Clark. Tex. George Wright, Washington; Jay, New York; Lincoln, North Dakota; Logan H. Root, Arkansas Mcintosh. wyoming; Madison Barracks, New York; Meade, South Dakota Niagara, New Yerlx; ontario, New York; Wayne Mich igan; Whlpple Barracks. Arizona; William Henry Harrison. Montana, and Yellow stone, Wyoming.
 Might Retain Fort Apache
 Of Fort Apache, 1t is said possibility of Indian trouble near this post still eN- ists. and that Fort Jay might be re- tained as headquarters or the eastern di- vision and as the site of the eastern mili- tary prison.
 There Is another formidable list of posts, which, while not recommended for immediate abandonment, are declared not 10 be located with a view of securing economy of administration and supply, Or full measure of military effectiveness. Consequently their garrlsons will not be F.l. fsHin drawn 10 such concentration centers as Congress may authorize. These posts arc: Ethen Allan, Vermont. Plattsburg Bar racks New York; Robinson, Nebraska; Missoula, Montana, Logan, Colorado; Douglas, Utah, and D. A. Russell, Myom- ing. The latter post is shown to have cost to date $i925, iS6. Ii is said not to be located with view to maximum economy or strategic effectiveness.
 Answers House Resolution
 Secretary Stimson's rqport Is made in answer to a House resolution by Repre- sentative Bulkley of Ohio The inquiry has developed interesting information re- garding the plans of the military strate- gisie for the future dlseosition pf Gle lafiF Anifd iihi1a iSe2 f.st sprfnctpai object is to dispose n tse present small army with distinct reference to it's mis- sion In case of war This first fnvoives adequate forces for foreign garrsons. wEich cannot be reinforced from the United States after the outbreak of hostil- lties. With the remainder of the army a mobile force Is to be organized and distributed among eight great strategic points in the United States instead of scattered in 49 posts, as now.
 Two or three of these groups would be on q liqe between the St Lawrence and Atlanta, covering the Atlantic sea- ...1s I.a la. line between Puget Sound and Los An gees, covering the Pacific seaboard; at least two groups between the great lakes and the Rio Grande serving as first reserves for either seaboard and for the development of the National Guard and volunteer forces to be organized in the interior.
 Could Save Millions
 By the concentration of the army in eight posts Il is declared the annual cost of maintenance of the army would be reduced by about S5,o00Q00.
 The following posts are declared 10 be so located as to permit of their being retained as strategic concentration points. Fort Porter Buffalo. N. r., (Albany is suggested as an alternative position); Fort Oglethorpe. Ga, tespecally desir- able for cavalry brigade); Fort Me- Emerson. Atlanta, (of great strategic value N1Ill ItleIPilte lO lllt obuAH .tAldHiiN anu gulf coasO; Fort sam Houston, Tex. (the best strategic position for the south ern frontier); Fort La @ton. near Seattle, Wash, and Vancouver Barracks, Wash, near Portland. and the Presidios Of San Francisco and Monterey Cal. one or both of which may be included in the Cali fornia strategic group
 Next comes a process of heavy elimi- nation. for it is declared that probably one only of the following posts should be retained Benjamin Harrison, Indiana; Columbus Barracks Ohio; Fort Sheri- dan, Illinois: Fort Des Moines. Iowa: Crook, Nebraska; Omaha, Nebraska. Leavenworth. Kansas; Riley, Kansas; Smelling. Minnesota; Jefferson Barracks. Missouri.
 Smelling and Jefferson Barracks might be retained if 1t were decided to make them stations for small arms. Riley might serve as a suitable station for a cavalry brigade.
 Retain Four Posts
 Four lucky posts recommended for re- tention are: Fort sill. Oklahoma, which is peculiarly adapted for use as a school of artillery and musketry fire; Forts Bliss, Texas. and Huachuca, Arizona. needed as cavalry outposts for some time on the southern border. and Fort Myer Va, where it probably will he necessary to retain small garrison for the national capital escort duty and other ceremonial duties.
 The report declares that succeeding sec retares of war have been hampered In getting rid Of useless and expensive posts by local and political influences It Is declared that no less than Sao000.0o0 has been spent on such posts in the last 10 years and every dollar so expended be- came an argument against their aban- donment.
 "Doubtless this argument will again be used to prevent the concentration de- sired by the present Secretary of War on the question" the report continues. and unless approached in the spirit of the great business corporation. which ruthIessly tears down a six story building no longer suited to it's needs to erect twenty story building found necessary, the present movement for an efficient and nn,,,icallv adnlnistered army will fail