Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-10
Secretary Of War Stimson
In Report to Congress
Says it Would be Harmful
to the Islanders.
ARMY LEGISLATION
IS RECOMMENDED
Says Morals of Army Suffer
Due to Anti -Canteen Leg
islation; Urges Citizen
ship for Porto Ricans.

Washington, D. c., Dec. 9.-Unspar-
ing condemnation of those who would
from misplaced sentimentality or lazy
self-interest' cast the Filipinos upon
the world in the state of helplessness
and before they had acquired the full
benefits of American civilization, is a
strong feature in the annual report of
Secretary of War Henry l.. Stimson.
Many other subjects of interest are
treated in the report, such as the rela-
tions of the national guard to the
army. the Improvement of the army
tactical methods, the inadequacy OF
the present reserve law, the crying
need OF citizenship for the Porto
Ricans, the conservation of the ma
tional water powers in navigable
streams and the advisability of
amending the Panama canal tolls act
SO as to reimpose tolls on American
coastwise shipping leaving the water
way.
RIames Antl-canteen Legislation.
Dealing first with purely military
subjects. the secretary states the
strength of the regular army at the
beginning of the present fiscal year
was S2,3O5 an increase during the
wear Of 189 officers and 1854 enlisted
men. He says the spirit Of the person
mel Of the army continues to improve,
attributable not only to the work OF
the service schools and the general
staff. but to, the practical opportunities
afforded by the recent maneuvers
and changes in organization and
methods. Unfit officers are speedily
discovered under the searching tests
nf field conditions. zone 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 Stlmson
asserts his belief that the so-called
anti-canteen legislation has Deen
responsible for much vice, state
ment which he supports by recital
of the results of his own inspection or
forty-nine of the mobile army posts,
where he found the military reserva-
tions adjoined by dives and ill:resorts
Of the vilest character. These cond1-
tions he believes to be the ultimate
causes. (which make the record OF our
army in the respect shameful beyond
that of the army of any civilized ma
tion.'
Posts for Panama and Hawaii.
Under the head of reorganization of
the foreign garrisons the report d.
rects attention to the benefits attend
ing the substitution for twelve re-
duced strength regiments in the
Philippines by garrison Of six regl-
ments of full strength with result
ing saving Of over one million dollars
per year The immediate completion
Of the posts at Panama and Hawaii,
he strongly urged as by far the most
important items of military eXpendi-
ture for the immediate future. 1t is
said that the locks and machinery at
Panama already have reached con-
dition of extreme vulnerability in case
of sudden attack, yet no greater force
can be sent there than the one regi-
ment now on guard until new quarters
are constructed for them, and the Sec
retary urges that such works should
begin at once. On the other hand, says
4 the secretary the base at Pearl Har-
Dor. Hawaii is of far greater stragetic
Importance for the protection of the
entire Pacific coast from attack than
any of the positions on that coast now
SO strongly fortified. No naval enemy
could make serious effective attack
upon any portion Of the American
Pacific coast, unless it had first re-
duced the position at Oahu, threaten
ing it's flank Quarters for the men
who are to protect the great stalls.
naval material and seacoast guns from
falling into the hands of land attack
ers should be pushed to completion as
rapidly as possible.
Favors Volunteers Bill.
A strong plea is made for the pas.
sage of the militia pay bill, now pend.
ing. because the 100000 men now in
the national guard, eager and ambi-
tions to be Of service in case of war,
are practically unavailable under pres
ent conditions. These men, the secre-
ta.y says, should not only be trained
for war in time of peace and paid by
the national government. but it must
he possible to transfer them immedi-
ately into the general military force
and not militia in time of war. In
connection with the subject the secre-
tary also recommends the passage of
the pending volunteers bill which
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