Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1912-01-11
BY C., S, ALBERT.

I
iIatters affecting the Army will oc-
cupy the center of the stage with the
e-assembling of Congress. A truce
was declared between Major General
y ! eonard Wood, Chief of stan, ana
representative James Hay, Chairman
nf the House Committee on Military
I Affairs, just before the holiday ad-
iournment. Both parties to the con-
troversy. with their respective adher-
ents, have devoted all the joyous
! Yuletide season to marshalling their
iorces and preparing for the fray.
AS a special favor to General Wood,
and forced thereto by sentiment pre-
vaiing in his committee, Chairman
Hay consented to continue hearings
On military matters after the reas-
sembling of Congress. General Wood
furnished the names of more than one
hundred Army officers whom he de-
sired to appear and. testify before the
committee.
The Hay bill provides for conso-
lidating the Quartermastcr's depart
nent, the Commissary department and
the Pay department into a Supply
Corps. All employees must be en-
, listed men. At present the Quarter
masters and Pay Departments nave
approximately 1000 civilian employ
ees. nearly all of them working in
this city
| hpnrehep inn nuer Lay RilI
A feeling of apprehension and I'M
rest has been Uccasloned by the evil
dent favor with which the Hay bill
Is regarded. Great economy, centrali-
zation of work and other benefits are
claimed for IT.. Agitation against the
where Army posts are located. The
civilian employees are also lobbying
against the proposed change.
The Hay bill also fixes the term of
enlistment at five, instead of three
years. This Is violently opposed by
General Wood. In report to the
Secretary of War on this subject Gen.
eral Wood said:
Such extension Is contrary to the
modern tendency Of military orgapl-
cations, and would mark very seri.
Gus step backward. In this country.
where we maintain only a small per.
mancnt military establishment and
depend largely upon citizen soldicry
the army should be regarded largely
as training school, and as many en-.
| gt aI no gL lao
through each year with view TO
their going into reserve. This Is
what Is being done in all the great
tations of Europe, including the re-
lpubliCs of France and Switzerland ard
the more progressive countries of
South America. To lengthen the term
of enlistment to five years would not
only reduce the number of men pass
ing under instruction, but would have
n tendency to encourage certain
class of men to remain permanently
in the army, and to discourage alto
gcther another class, probably the best
class from enlistment.
Many Drawbacks.
at Is desirable to retain in the ser.
vice most of the non-commissionod of
listed personnel; with the exception
Of these, re.cnlistment should not be
encouraged, but, on the contrary, the
men should be thoroughly instructed
in their duties as soldiers, passed into
n reserve and returned to their civil
occupations. The statement SO often
made that these men would not re-
turn to the colors In time OF war Is,
In my opinion entirely unfounded and
IS an unwarrantcd reflection on the
patriotism OF men who have served
with the colors and returned to civil
life. ! believe they will return.
at Is most important, to insure
prompt mobilization, however, that
they should he organized into re
serve, and that the form of enlist.
mcnt should be so modified as to pro
slde a certain period Of service with
he colors and certain period Of
service In the reserve. This matter
Is now under consideration by the
general staff. A system which on
courages rc-cnlistment and tends to
keep the majority Of the enlisted per.
sonnet In the army up to the time of
retirement is, in the first place, n most
expensive system, as energy and mo-
ney would be expended from year to
year on body Of men large portion
OF whom have repeatedly gone through
tthe course OF instruction and are
growing each year physically less 1T.
ted for hard service.
Moreover, a policy OF this kind
would have most deadening effect
upon the officers. We can only hope
to keep our officers up to a high stand.
ard OF efficiency by calling upon them
for continued progressive work as in.
structors. The long enlistment and
re-enlistment system means no re-
serve and an inefficient army, due to
the inevitable inertia of our commits
Gioned and enlisted personnel which
much result from such system. The