The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-03-15
ROASTS THE WAR
DEPART MENT FOR VACILLATION
Points to Frequent Changes, in
Plans for Hawaii as
Proof of 1t.
BY Ernest G. walker.

-~NA~sN ffeF@NASAs
(Mail Special to The Advertiser.)
WASHINGTON, February 29.-The
house had spirited debate yesterday,
an interesting incident of which was
comment by Representative John j.
Fitzgerald, of New York, chairman of
appropriations, about military barracks
near Honolulu. He spoke in very plain
language about the war department S
vacillating policy in Hawaii.
The discussion came up on bill
to transform the regimental post at
Fort oglethorpe, Georgia, into brigade
post. This change, which the house
eventually authorized, striking out,
however, proposed appropriation of
100000 for that purpose, was recon-
mended by the war department. Chair
man Fitzgerald, however, criticized the
l-bill, because the department had not
submitted to congress for its approval
detailed estimates of any buildings
and improvements to be made at said
post before proceeding further to the
construction thereof. I" When the bill
was enacted, however, it carried such
amendment.
emo one here viii say or can author
itatiyely say,'' declared Mr.. Fitzgerald,
"that within six months or year the
war department will not be back in con.
gress advocating the retention and
maintenance of small posts rather than
large posts.
Permanent Policy wanted
81 have in my hands some papers
of very interesting character which
show the fuctuating, unstable, unre.
liable policy of the war department and
the futility of congress attempting
to rely-upon its recommendations and
the necessity for congress itself adopt.
ing permanent policy before it begins
piecemeal to go into the matter of au-
thorizing the enlargement of posts
Then he told how the Sundry Civil
Act of March 4, 1909, and the Sundry
y Civil Act Of June 20, 1910, carried APP
preparations of 100000 and an authori.
cation for contracts not to exceed $780,.
900 for the establishment of cavalry
post at Camp Schofield. 'The author
ization,'' said Mr.. Fitzgerald, "was
made in response to unanimous de-
mand upon the appropriations commit
| tOO ny thO BCuCldl Sldll as 10 IuG iii.
perative necessity for cavalry accommo.
! dations in the Hawaiian Islands. The
! appropriation was made because it was
! believed to be imperatively needed for
the public defense and il was made
speedily available because of the press.
. ing necessity for the accommodations. u
Then he described how last May the
secretary of war requested that this
money for cavalry barracks on the
Island of Oahu be used for the purchase
of additional land in the City of Homo
lulu and the erection of barracks there
on to accommodate three regiments of
infantry. "The statement was made, y
added Mr.. Fitzgerald, "that the cavalry
was SO much more needed at that time
on our Mexican border and could be SO
much more economically maintained in
the United States than in the Hawai-
ian Islands that it was not deemed de.
sirable to send the cavalry at that time
to Honolulu
The senate passed an act, authorizing
the use of the money for infantry bar.
racks but the house took no action, be
cause of its program not to handle any
appropriation measures, except of press
ing Importance, during the extra SEES
sion of congress. Mr.. Fitzgerald con,
tinued his remarks, in part, as follows;
Another Change.
"Under date of February 10, 1912
after this request of last May, and after
the senate had passed, in compliance
with the war department request,
bill to make this money appropriated
for cavalry available for infantry bar
racks, an estimate was transmitted tC
congress requesting that the authorize
, ton contained in the sundry civil acts
to which 1 have referred providing
accommodations for two squadrons Of
cavalry on the Island of Oahu, bt
amended and changed so as to permit
the construction of accommodations fol-
a full regiment of cavalry on that isl
and. In his communication the secre
, tary calls attention to the fact that thu
, quartermaster general states that il
: view of existing conditions in Hawai-
, the interests of the service demand that
the post located at the Schofeld Bar
racks reservation be completed 'as ex
, peditiously as possible. Though the
department had had the appropriation
for more than two years no step wal
taken to use it to build this cavalry
: post, SO urgently required, until it wa.
found that congress would not follow
the department in its Auctuating ant
unstable policy. ~,
1T is now proposed, upon this lettel
of the secretary of war, without an,
authoritative determination by congress
as to its policy, to authorize the con