The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-12-09
SAYS LAz|NESS
PROMPTS MOVE
TO FREE ISLAND
Stinson Condemns Proposed
Casting OFF Of Filipinos
But Half Civilized.
WANTS 500, 900 FOR
NATIONAL MILITIA

WANTS 100000 FOR
NATIONAL MILITIA
Secretary Of War in Report to Con.
eress Today Urges Many Important
Observation-Disclosures Tone OF the
Army has been Greatly Improved.
Washington. Dec. s.-Unsparinx
condemnation of those who would
from misplaced sentimentality or
lazy self-interest" cast the Filipinos
upon the world in the state Of help
iessness 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 inadequacy
of the present reserve law, the cry.
ing need of citizenship for the Porto
Ricans. the conservation of the ma
t1onal water powers in navisable
streams and the advisability 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 the purely milf
strength of the regular army at the
beginning of the present fiscal year
at e2.3O5. an increase during the year
of 1s9 o;cers and 1884 enlisted men,
He says the spirit Of the personnel of
the army continues to improve, at
tributable not only to the work Of the
service schools and the general staff,
put to the practical opportunities af-
forded by the recent maneuvers and
changes in organization and methods.
Cnht officers are speedily discovered
under the searching tests Of field con-
ditions. One of the surest ways of
getting rid Of the dead wood of
our army is to work it as far as DOS
sible, under the applicatory methods
of modern military training" the Sec
retary declares. In treating Of the
morals Of the army: Secretary stim-
son. asserts his belief that the SOCIAL.
ed anti.canteen legislation has been
responsible for much vice. a statement
which he supports by a recital of the
results of his own inspection of forty
nine Of the Mobile army posts, where
he found the military reservations ad-
Joined by dives and ill-resorts Of the
vilest character. These conditions he
believes to be the ultimate causes.
in this respect shameful beyond that
Of the army of any civilized nation
Under the head Of reorganization of
the foreign garrisons the report di-
rects attention to the benefits attend
Ing the substitution for twelve reduced
strength regiments in the Philippines.
by garrison of six regiments of full
strength with a resulting saving Of
over one million dollars per year. The
completion of the posts at
Panama and Hawaii he strongly urg-
cs as by far the most important items
of military expenditure for the i'm
mediate future. It is said that the
locks and machinery at Panama al
ready have reached a condition Of OK
treme vulnerability In case OF sudden
attack. yet no greater force can be
sent there than the one regiment now
on guard until new quarters are con-
urges that such works should begin at
once. On the other hand. says the
secretary, the base at Pearl Harbor
Hawaii. is of far greater stragettc i'm
portance for the protection of the en-
tire Pacific coast from attack than any
Of the positions on that coast now SO
fortified. No naval enemy
could make serious effective attack
upon any portion Of the American Pa
cific coast. unless it had first reduced
the position at Oahu. threatening its
flank. Quarters for the men who are
to protect the great stalls. naval ma
terial, and seacoast guns from falling
into the hands of land attackers
should be pushed to completion as
rapidly as possible.
The tactical reorganization Of the
army on the basis of three infantry d.
visions. the report shows has prog
ressed as far as possible without con.
Rressional assistance in the way OF
for large sample posts. and
q series of conferences of the general
officers Of the army has been planned
for this winter. AS result. the time
now necessary at the outbreak OF war
10 organize the regular army. will be
dispensed with.
Touching the army reserve. towards
which congress has made q start In
the present appropriation bill. the
secretary said that the most serious
defect in the plan Is that 1t creates
too long a period Of service with the
.olors. The experience of the United
States and that of European nations.
mas shown that the soldier can be
less than three years. A
Of the period Of training
With the colors. says the secretary.
would greatly improve the character
If the young men who will go into the
army, and in no way diminish the ef-
'ectiveness Of their training.
Pleads for Militia
A strong plea is made for the pas
sage of the militia pay bill now pend
ns, because the 100000 men now in
he national guard. eager and am
,itious to be Of service in case Of war.
ire practically unavailable under pres
mt conditions. These men, the Sec
.etary says, should not only be train
ID for war in time of peace and paid
~ the national government. but 1t
must be possible to transfer them i'm
into the general military
'orce and not militia in time Of war.
IN connection with the subject the
,ecretary also recommends the pas
,age Of the pending volunteers bill
which would not entail dollars ex-
,ense upon the government In this
ime or in the future until war comes.
rreat shortage in the supply of field
lrtillery. which cannot be purchased
Lbroad In time of war and requires
ears to manufacture Taking a les
ION from the present great struggle
II the east. Secretary Stimson says:
The amount which we have permit
ed to accumulate would be insufficient
or a single engagement OF tho char
lcter Of the engagements In either
he Russo-Japanese VI the present
Balkan war"
Suggestions Of the old controversy
between the executive and congress
,ver the construction of dams in nav