The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-12-11
FAVORS GREATER
FIELD ARTILLERY
Sec. Garrison Says Adequate Sun.
ply Is immediate Necessity

Washington Dec. IL. -- Secretary
Garrison's first annual report IN tho
president, as head of the war depart-
ment makes no recommendation for
tho generally expected rearrangement
of army posts to distribute troous I'm
mobile units. The secretary SAYS that
ether things of immediate importance.
particularly an adequate supply of
field artillery will postpone his rec
concentrations To Congress, but Ina tho
meantime the troops will he garis-
oned IN as practical manner for
mobilization as is possible.
Mr.. Garrison discusses the militia
at some length. He says in part
THE national importance of a re-
serve system for the organized militia
can not be questioned. The minimum
strength 1T which militia organizations
are maintained in time of peace will
render necessary great and immed-
late Increase in national emergency.
ana this fact demands the presence of
a system of reserves from which
trained men may be secured for this
increase. Without some such systom
TEN, not only will such Increase he
rendered exceedingly difficult. but
even when accomplished the enicien
cy of the organizations will have been
reduced to a minimum bv the intro.
duction of an unframed element dou-
bic in number the trained personnel.
Perfect Military Organizations.
Proper organization as required by
the law is absolutely necessary if the
organized militia is To be counted on
as dependable military federal as
set in time of national need. and the
organizations existing as such i'm name
only will be required to complete their
component elements or lose federal
recognition of their character as such
organizations.
while there has been a small de-
crease in officers and enlisted men i'm
the organized militia during the past
year this decrease has occurred i'm
great part. as the result of the elm
nation of organizations found hope
lcssly inefficient and is compensated
for by an increase i'm general efficiency.
Il is regretted that IN tagret practice
the reports show but slight progress
during the year. This fact is the more
serious as rifle practice is recognized
as one of the most vital elements in
tho training of the infantry soldier.
The present tendency to develop rifle
teams. composed mostly of commits
stoned officers, at the expense of tar
get practice for the enlisted men is
opposed to the federal policy in this
matter and should be discontinued"
Pleads Greater Reserve.
Discussing the army reserve the
secretary says:
The adjutant general reports that
approximately $1,000 men enlisted in
the army between Nov. /, 1912, and
Aug. 81, 1913, and Of this number 81
made application To be furloughed to
the reserve at the expiration of three
years service, and that on the date
last named the reserve consisted of
eight men.
II found from a personal trip To
most of the army posts and from in
tcrvicwing as many of the officers
and men as l could that the men were
dissatisfied with the present enlist
ment contract. 1t does not seem worth
while to discuss whether their dis
is well founded or not
since il exists and if we are TO build |
up a reserve we must devise some |
method of doing 50. That We must |
build up a reserve seems To be the
CONSENSUS of opinion, and | understand
that Congress is favorable To a re- |
serve. one trouble with the present |
Jaw undoubtedly is that 1t does not
offer as great financial inducemcnt to |
the man who enlists SO as To pass into
he reserve as il does to the one who |
does not SO enlist, particularly during |
the first six years of his service.
Suggests inducement to Guardsmen
From the most careful considera-
tiun that | have been able to give this |
subject | have reached the conclusion |
that we will be able to get reserve
If one is obtainable at all. by provis- |
ion of law that will permit the de-
partment when 1t is satisfied as to
the proficiency of the soldier To hon
ordbly discharge him with no other |
obligation on his part, as far as the
balance Of his enlistment is concerned |
except to return to the colors in case
Of actual war The brevity of my al
fusion to this subject in this report
is not because of its slight Importance,
the fact being that | think 1t OF the
very greatest importance, but be-
cause the details will have to be work |
ed out after the most careful consid-
Grafton by Congress-