Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-02-02
TO ABANDON
IS ARMY POSTS
END OF "ExTRAVAGANCE AND IN
EFFICIENCY" is URGED IN
REPORT TO CONGRESS.
BY SECRETARY STIMsON
Stations In North and South DaKota
Are Among Those Condemned.
Fort Smelling might
Be Retained"


BE Retained"
Washington, Jan. 29-Secretary Of
War Stimson, acting upon an exhaust
i've report from the general statf, mas
decided that no less than sixteen, and
probably eighteen, existing army posts
should at once be abandoned lin order
to put an end to the extravaganza and
inehiciency resulting from improper
distribution of the mobile army.
The posts condemned are: Apache.
Ariz.; Boise barracks. Idaho; Brady,
Mich; Clark. Texas; George Wright,
Washington; Jay, New York; Lincoln,
North Dakota; Logan H. Roots, Ark;
Mcintosh, Texas; Mackenzie, Wyo'
ming; Madison barracks, New York;
Meade. South Dakota; Niagara, New
York; Ontario. New Rork; Wayne,
Mich; Whipple barracks, Ariz.; Will
liam Henry Harrison, Mont; and Vel
lovstone, Wyo. OF Fort Apache it is
said a possibility of Indian trouble
near this post still exists and that
Fort Jay might be retained as head
quarters of the eastern division and
- the site of the eastern military
pg1son.
Posts to Be Retained.
There Is another formidable list Of
posts which. while not recommended
for immediate abandonment, are de-
clared not to be located with view
OF securing economy of administration
and supply. or full measure of mill
ts1y effectiveness. Consequently their
Kafrisons will not be increased and
ultimately will be withdrawn to such
concentration centers as congress may
authorize. These posts ars: Ethan
Allen, Vermont; Plattsburg barracks,
New York; Robinson, Nebraska; Mis-
soula, Montana Logan, Colorado;
Douglas. Utah; and D. A. Russell,
wyoming. The latter post is shown
20 have cost to date S4,925,4S6. 1t is
said not to be located with view to
maximum economy or strategic effect
iveness.
Special Stations to Go.
The principal object is to dispose Of
the present small army with distinct
reference to it's mission in case Of war.
This first involves adequate forces for
foreign garrisons, which cannot be re-
fnforced from the United States after
the outbreak Of hostilities. With the
remainder of the army mobile force
is to be organized and distributed
among about eight great strategical
points In the United States instead of |
scattered in forty-nine posts, as now. |
Two or three Of these groups would
be on q line between the St. Lawrence
and Atlanta, covering the Atlantic |
seaboard; two or three groups would
be on the line between Puget Sound |
and Los Angeles, covering the Pacific |
seaboard; at least two groups between
the Great Lakes and the Rio Grande, |
serving as first reserves for either sea.
board and for the development of the
national guard and volunteer forces to
be organized in the interior.
BY the concentration of the army in
eight posts, it is declared. the annual
cost of maintenance of the army
would be reduced about S5,50O00O.
Smelling Mentioned. l.
Next comes a process of heavy elm.
ination. for it is declared that prob.
ably one only of the following posts
should be retained, Benjamin Harri
son, Indiana; Columbus barracks,
Ohio; Fort Sheridan, Illinois; Fort
Des Moines, Iowa; Crook Nebraska;
Omaha, Nebraska; Leavenworth Kan.
sas; Riley, Kansas: Smelling, Mimi;
Jefferson barracks, Missouri. Smelling
and Jefferson barracks might be re.
tanned if it were decided to make
them stations of all arms.
: Four lucky posts recommended for
retention are: Fort Sill, Oklahoma,
which is peculiarly adapted for use as
. school of artillery and musketry
nre; Forts Bliss, Texas and IIuschuca,
Arizona needed as cavalry outposts
for some time on the southern border,
and Fort Myer, Virginia, where it
probably will be necessary to retain a
small garrison near the national CAPT.
la1 for escort duty and other ceremo.
NAL purposes.
Aue icPOIt hectares lndI succeeding
secretaries OF war have been hamper.
ID in getting rid of useless and ey.
pensive posts by local and political in.
duences. 1t is declared that no less
than s3O,OO0,00O has been spent on
such posts in the last ten years and
every dollar SO expended became an
argument against their abandonment
Alaskan leujs,at;on Pronojeed