The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-12-12

construction for 1914 are s1Y,ooo.oos
lass than for 1913.
The president them explained nj
some length the national reserve o.
sociation system recommended By the
monetary commission and urged ocn-
gress to examine the plan impartisily
from all standpoints and then TO adopt
some plan which win secure the bene-
fits desired.
Concerning the tariff he had little to
say In view Of the fact that q new
congress has been elected On O plat
form of tariff for revenue only.
Army Reorganization.
Our small army now consists OF
s3.s0s men. exvluding the 5000 Philip
pine scouts. Leaving out OF consid-
Grafton the coast artillery force.
whose position IL fixed In our various
seacoast defenses, and the present
gartsons Of our various insular pos
sessions. We have today within the
continental United States q mobile
army Of only about $1,000 men. This
little force must ! still further
drawn Upon TO supply the new garTi-
sons for the great naval base which
is being established at Pearl Harbor.
In the Hawaiian islands, and 10 pro
tsct the locks now rapidly approach
Ing completion at Panama The
forces remaining In the United States
are now scattered in nearly ATTY
posts. situated for Q variety Of his
torical reasons In twsnty-four states.
These posts contain only fractions of
regiments. averaging less than TOO
man each. In time OF peace It has
bssn our historical policy TO admins
ter these units separately By . geo
graphical organization. In other
words. our army In time Of peace has
never been Q united organization but
merely scattered groups OF comps
MES, battalions and regiments. and
the first task In time Of war has been
to create out OF these scattered units
an army At for effective teamwork
and cooperation.
To the task OF meeting these pat
emit defects, the war department has
been addressing itself during the past
year. A comprehensive plan of re
organization was prepared by the
war college division OF the general
STAFF. This plan was thoroughly dis
cussed last summer at q series Of
open conferences held by the secre-
tary of war and attended by repre-
sentatives from all branches of the
army and from congress. In printed
hou Afa+~ 81
bers of congress and throughout the
army and the national guard, and
widely through institutions of learn
ing and elsewhere in the United
States. In 1t, for the first time, we
have tentative chart for future
progress.
Under the influence of this study
definite and effective steps have
been taken toward army reorEaniza-
lies within the executive power.
Hitherto there has been no difference
Of policy In the treatment Of the or
! sanization of our foreign garrisons
from those of troops within tho Unit.
! ed States. The difference Of situa-
ton IL vital, and the foreign garrison
should be prepared to defend itself
at an instant's notice against a foe
who may command the sea. Unlike
the troops in the United States, IT
can not count upon reinforcements
or recruitment. It IL an outpost
upon which will fall the brunt of the
first attack In case Of war. The his
! torical policy of the United States OF
carrying its regiments during time OF
peace at half strength has no appli.
cation to our foreign garrisons. Dur.
ing the past year this defect has
been remedied as to the Philippines
garrison. The former garrison Of Ia
reduced regiments has been replaced
by garrison of six regiments at full
strength, giving fully the same num-
Der of rif1emen at an estimated
economy In cost OF maintenance OF
over 100000 per year. This garn.
son Is to be permanent. It's regimen
! tai units, instead Of being transferred
periodically back and forth from the
United States, will remain in the
islands The officers and men oom.
posing these units will, however
serve a regular tropical detail as
usual, thus involving no greater hard
ship upon the personnel and greatly
increasing the effectiveness Of the
garrison. A similar policy II pro.
posed for the Hawaiian and Panama
garrisons a. fast al the barracks for
them are completed. I strongly urge
upon congress that the necessary ap.
preparations for this purpose should
b promptly made. It IL. in my opin-
lon. Of FIRST Importance that these
national outposts, upon Which a suo-
| cessful home defense will. primarily.
| depend, should be finished and placed
| In effective condition at the earliest
possible day.
The Home Army.
simultaneously with the foregoing
steps the war department has been