Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-26
WAR DEPARTMENT ANXIOUS TO
FoRTIFY HAWAII AND PHILIP
PINES.
CONGRESS WILL OFFER
NECESSARY FINANCIAL AID
High Army Officers Show Need Of Bet
ter Protsction-Approp For
Fertilization Of Panama Canal Also
Fortheoming-Other Coast Points
Will Have to Wait.
Especial Correspondence

lSpecldl correspondence
Washington Feb. 26-That the war
department is anxious to cement the
hold Of this country or the insular pos
sessions in the Pacific by hurrying
along the Notifications there. was
clearly Brought out a short time ago in
the hearings before the Notifications
subcommittee of the house committee
on appropriations.
In testifying before the committee,
Gen. Leonard Wood, chief OF staff, said
the war department was most anxious
to complete. as rapidly as possible, the
seacoast defenses in the Philippines.
the defenses in the Hawaiian Islands
and also the defenses in the Panama
canal zone.
These are" said General Wood. ain
the opinion of the department. the
three most important pieces of work
in WHICH We are at present engaged:
also the completion OF fire control in
the United States for the works COM
pleted and the acquisition Of a rea-
sonable amount Of reserve ammuni-
ton. ! feel. however that greater at
tention should be given to the compile
ton Of work in the Philippine Islands.
canal zone and the Hawaiian Islands
than anywhere else: and if reductions
are to be made in our estimates. rath-
er than reduce the estimates for the
above works, that the work in the I'm
tied States should be reduced to
basis of mere maintenance. with such
allotment for ammunition as you can
give us. This. with the appropriations
which we have asked for in order to
complete the work now going on in the
Philippine Islands and the Hawaiian
Islands, should be as large as posi-
BILE"
Aid Will Be Given.
While the committee on appropria-
tons has scaled down the estimates Of
the war department largely neverthe-
less there is little doubt that when the
Notifications bill fs finally passed by
congress it will enable the war depart
ment to go ahead with it's policy Of
hurrying along the defenses of the Pa
cifc. The purpose Of this. it Is we'll
tho not hostile to Japan, is
to make 1t impossible for Japan or any
other nation in the event OF sudden
war to wrest the control of the Pacific
from this country.
Deficiency in Artillery.
One of the points emphasized before
the Notifications sub committee was
the deficiency Of the United States In
field artillery. This point has been
dwelt on by high army officers before
and was once more strongly empha-
sized by General Wood. He declared
the army was in a particularly critical
condition in this respect, and pointed
out that in estimating for the num-
Der of field guns needed the war de-
partment was putting the number OF
such guns per thousand rifles and sab
ers at a less number than any other
great power.
Far Behind Japan.
Among the interesting statements
made by General Wood was that the
Japanese were very deficient in ar
tillery in the late war with Russia but
have made strenuous efforts to IN
crease II since the war.
In comparison. the United States Is
far behind, This country has 632 guns
of approved type now manufactured or
contracted for, General Wood told the
sub committee But there are no means
nroyided to furnish these guns with
80
their caissons with the guns. When this
were exhausted. the guns would have
no organized supply.
Shortage Of Ammunition.
An alarming shortage Of ammun1-
ton for the field artillery should war
break out now exists. according to
General Wood The number Of rounds
of ammunition which ought to be on
hand available for field artillery to
eo,,ip the regular army and militia Is
] 400, 900. The actual amount on hand
or appropriated is only 12s,s5s rounds.
This startling statement was made
by General Wood:
This 12s,359 rounds would, II dis-
tributed to the regular batteries and
to the militia batteries. give but 261
rounds per. gun. 1t would not fill the
chests Of their combat trains. and Is 50
inadequate a supply that 1t would be
criminal to permit this artillery to take
the field with this supply"
General Wood calculates that the
war department Is 32s guns short OF
the number required to properly equip
the present regular army and militia,
in addition to being without ammuni-
ton field trains and ammunition. He
holds the condition makes disaster GER
- nav ,,f+1, 0roaf mower.