The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-12-09
STRENGTH Of
The ARMY IS
" 82,3O5 men
Annual Report Of Secretary Of
War Made Public
Relation Of National Guard to
Army Discussed
Many Other Important Matters
Are Taken Up ..

Washington, Dec. S.-Unsparing
condemnation of those who would from
misplaced sentimentaIity or lazy self
interest" cast the Filipinos upon the
world in the state OF helplessness and
before they had acquired the full ben
etits of American civilization, is a.
strong feature in the annual report Of
Secretary of War Henry L. Stirnson.
Many other subjects of interest are
treated in the report, such as the rela-
tlonS or the national guard to the
army, the Improvement in the army
tactical methods, the inadequacy OF the
present reserve law, the crying need
or citizenship for the Porto Ricans, the
conservation of the national water
powers in navigable streams and the
advisability of amending the Panama
canal tolls act 80 as to reimpose tolls
on American Coastwise. shipping leay-
ing the waterway
Dealing first with purely military
subjects, the secretary states the
strength of the regular army at the be-
ginning Of the present fiscal year at
S2,3O5, an increase during the year OF
lS9 officers and 1884 enlisted men. He
says the spirit of the personnel of the
army continues to improve, attribute
bic 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 or
ganization and methods. UNIT officers
are speedily discovered under the
searching tests Of field conditions,
"One of the surest ways of getting rid
Of the dead wood in our army Is TO
work II as far as possible, under the
applicatory methods of modern mill
tary training" the secretary declares.
In treating Of the morale of the army
Secretary Stimson asserts his belief
that the so-called anti-canteen legis-
lation has been responsible for much
vice, statement which he supports
by recital Of the results of his own
inspection of forty-nine of the mobile
army posts, where he found the mill
tary reservations adjoined by dives and
ill-resorts of the vilest character.
These conditions he believes to be the
ultimate causes, which make the rec
ord Of our army in this respect shame
ful beyond that Of the army Of any
civilized nation
Under the head or reorganization of
the foreign garrisons the report df-
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 resulting saving of
over $1,000,000 per year. The
immediate completion of the posts at
Panama and Hawaii, he strongly urg-
ed as by far the most important items
of military expenditure for the imme-
date future. 1t is said that the locks
and machinery at Panama have al
ready reached q condition of extrern@
vulnerability in case of sudden attack.
yet no greater force can be sent there
than the one regiment on guard until
new quarters are constructed for them,
and the secretary urges that such
N uf On
hand. says the secretary, the base at
Pearl harbor, Hawaii, is of far greater
strategic Importance for the protec-
ton of the entire Pacific coast from
attack than any of the positions on that
coast now so strongly fortified. No
naval enemy could make a serious ef-
fective attack upon any portion of the
American Pacific coast, unless 1T had
first reduced the position at Oahu,
threatening 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 attackers should be pushed to
completion as rapidly as possible.
The tactical reorganization of thA
army on the basis of three infantry di-
visions, the report shows, has pro.
gressed as far as possible without con-
gressional assistance in the way of pro-
viding for large, ample posts, and a
series of conferences of the general Of
ficers Of the army has been planned
for this winter. AS a result, the time
now necessary at the outbreak of war
to organize the regular army will be-
dispensed with.
Touching the army reserve, towards
which congress has made a start in
the present appropriation bill, the sec
retary said that the most serious de-
feet in the plan is that it creates too
long a period of service with the coll
ors. The experience of the United
States and that of European nations,
has shown that the soldier can be ade-
quately trained for his duties in con
siderabIy less than three years A
shortening of the period of training
with the colors, says the secretary
would greatly improve the character
of the young men who will go into the
army, and in no way diminish the ef-
fectiyeness of their training.
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 anabi-
tious to be of service IN case of war,
ara practically unavailing under pres
ent conditions. These men, the secre,
tary Gays, should not only be trained
for war in time OF peace and paid by
the national goaernnent, but 1t must
be possible to transfer them irnrneeYis
ately into the general military forc6
and not militia In time of war. In
connection with the subject the secre-
tary also recommends the passage or
the pending volunteers bill which
would not entail d dollars expense
upon the government in this time or
in the future until war comes Atten
tion is also directed again TO the great
shortage IL the supply Of field artiiiery,
which cannot be purchased abroad in
time OF war and requires three years
to manufacture Taking lesson