Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-09
Secretary Of War in Annual
Report Vigorously Condemns
the Proposal to Cast Islands
Adrift.
NECESSITY OF MILITARY
EFFICIENCY is URGENT
Favors Pay for National Guard,
Shorter Period of Army En-
IiStments and Re- Establish
ment Of Canteens.

(By Morning Journal Special Leased wire.)
Washington, Dec. S.-Unsparine
condemnation of those = who would
from misplaced sentimentality OF
lazy self-interest'' cast the Flipinos
upon the world in the state of help
lessness and before they had acquired
the full benefits of American civiliza-
ton is a strong feature in the annual
report of secretary of War Henry l..
Stimson. Many other subjects Of in
terest are treated in the report, such
as the relations Of the national guard
to the army, the improvement in the
army tactical methods. the inadequa-
cy of the present reserve law, the
crying need OF sitizenship for the
Porto Ricans the conservation OF the
national water powers in navigablc
streams and the aovisabiiity of amend
ing the Panama canal tolls act so as
to reimpose tolls on American coast
wise shipping leaving the water way.
Dealing first with purely military
subjects, the secretary states me
strength OF the regular army at the
beginning of the present fiscal year
at S2,305, an increase during the year
of 1S9 officers and 1884 enlistcd men.
He says the spirit Of the personnel
of the army continue sto improve, at
tributable not only to the work oi
the service schools and the general
staff, but to the practical oppOrtunl-
ties afforded by the recent maneuVcrs
and changes in organization ana
methods Unfit officers are speeuily
nj q rtEln4 tests
Of field cclidf..@1is. 0nc' {. z 8 sur
est ways OF getting rid Of the deau
wood of our army is to work IL as lal
as possible under the appilcatory
methods of modern military training,
the secretary declares In treating OF
the morals of the army, Secretary
Stimson asserts his belief that the
so-cal.ed anit-canteen Legislation has
been responsible for mucn vice, q
statement which he supports by re-
cital of the results of ms own lhspec- .
ton of forty y-nine OF the mobile army
posts, where he found the military
reservations adJoned Dy dives and III
resorts of the vilest character. THESE
conditions he believes to be the ulti-
mate causes, (which make the recoro
OF our army in this respect shametui
beyond that of the army of any CIVIL
lized nation
Under the head Of REORGANIZATION
of the foIeign garrssons the report dl-
reefs the attention to the behelits at
tending the substitution for twelve re-
duced strength regiments in tne
Philippines, by garrison or SIX resi-
ments of full strength with resulting
saving of over one million doilafs per
year. The immediate completion OF
the posts at Panama and Hawaii, ne
strongly urges as by far the most iiii-
portant items of military expenulluis
20 fnf
that the locks and machinery at Pana-
ma already have reached condltloii
of extreme vulnerability in case OF
sudden attack, yet no greater iorce
can be sent there than me one fesi-
ment now on guard until new quarters
are constructed for them. and the sec
retary urged that such work snoulu
begin at once. on the other hanu,
says the secretary. the base at Peari
Harbor. Hawaii, is of far greater
stragetic importance for the protection 1
Of the entire Pacific coast from at-.l
tack than any of the positions on tnat
coast now so strongly fortifled. NO I
naval enemy could make serious e.
fective attack upon any portlon OF tiS
American Pacific coast unless IL nau I
fist reduced the position at oann, |
threatening its flank. Quarters loI !
the men who are to protect the grea. {
stalls. naval material, and sea coast
guns from falling into the hands OF /
land attackers should be pushed 10 y
completion as rapidly as possible.
The tactical reorganization OF Tue I
army on the basis of three lniahtrS c
divisions, the report shows, has pro- ,
gressed as far as possible without con- I
gressional assistance in the way OF
providing for large ample posts, anu r
a series of conferences of the genera L
officers of the army has been planned
for this winter. As a result. the time
now necessary at the outbreak OF Wai
To organize the regular army VIII pe
dispensed with.
Touching the army reserves, To- d
wards which congress has made a Il
start in the present appropriation Dill b
the secretary said that the most serl- f.
Gus defect in the plan is that il creates p
TOO long period of service with the n
colors The experience of the tnited c
states and that of European nations. J
has shown that the soldier can be G.
adequately trained for his duties in S
fonsderahl less than three years. e
shortening of the period of training d
With the colors. says the secretary, /
would greatly improve. the character .
IF the young men who will come into @
The army. and in no way diminish {
he effectiveness of their training. il
\ strong plea is made for the pas "
axe of the military pay blll now
lending. because the 100000 men
low IN the national guard. eager and
ambitious to be Of service in case of II.
Aar. are practically unavailable under a
resent conditions. These men, The g..
'e'reiary SAYS. should not only be h,
AIMED for war i'm time of peace and m
''u hy the national government. but hi
must le possible To transfer them ii
immediately into the general military 90
"rce and not militia in. time OF war; n,