Arizona republican., 1913-12-15
Secretary of War Depart ment Points Out Need of Great and Immediate In crease in Reserve FOEre in National Emergency
SLIGHT PROGRESS
 IN RIFLE PRACTICE
Says Tendency is to De velop Teams Composed Mostly of Commissioned Officers at Expense of the Enlisted Men of Guard
ASSOCIATED PRESS DISPATCH

ASSOCIATED PRESS DIsPATCHl
 WASHINGTON. December H. Secretary Garrison's first annual re- rort to the President. as head Of the War Department. makes no recon mendatiOns for the generally expect ed rearrangement of army posts tO distribute troops in mobile units. The secretary says that ether things of immediate importance. particularly S,li adequate supply of field artil le,y," will postpone his recommends tons to congress. but in the mean time the troops will be garrisoned T. as practical a manner for mobilza- ton as is possible
 MT Garrison discusses the militia at some length. He says in part:
 The national importance of q re- serve system for the organized militia cannot be questioned. The minimum strength at which militia organiza- tiDns are maintained Ip time of peace will render necessary a reat and inn mediate increase in a national emer- pency.- and this fact demands the presence of a system of reserves from which trained men may be SC cured for this increase Without some such system, not only will such increase be rendered exceedingly diff ficult. but even when accomplished the efficiency of the organizations will have been reduced to q mini mum by the introduction of an un- trained element double ia number the trained personnel
 Proper organization as required by the law is absolutely necessary if the organized militia is tp he counted on as a dependable military federal asset in time of national necd, and the or ganizations existing as such in name Cnly will be required to complete their component clements or lose fed eral recognition of their character as such organizations
 While there has been a small de- crease in officers and enlisted men in the organized militia during the past year, this decrease has occurred, in great part. as the result of the elim- ination of organizations found hope lessIy inefficient and is compensated for by an increased in general ef- fciency It is regretted that in tar set practice the reports show but slight progress during the year. This fact is the more serious as rifle prac- tice is recognized as one of the most vital elements in the training of the infantry soldier. The present ten dency to develop rifle teams, com posed mostly of commissioned off Cers, at the expense of target prac- tice for the enlisted man is opposed to the federal policy in this matter and should be discontinued
 Discussing the army reserve the secretary says:
 The Adjutant-General reports that approximately 21,OO0 men enlisted in
 
 and August 31. 1913. and of this number 61 made application to be fdrloughed to the reserve at the eX- 1 piration of three years service, ana that or the date last named the re- serve consisted of men.
 T found from a personal trip tC ! most of the army posts and from in 1 terViewing as many of the officers | and men as l could that the mer were dissatisfied with the present en- 1 listment contract It does not seen worth while to discuss whether thei dissatisfaction is well founded or no since it exists. and if we are to bull, up reserve we must devise som | rnethod of doing so. That we mus l build up a reserve seems to be tn | consensus of opinion and I under 1 stand that congress is favorable to reserve. One trouble with the pres
 ent law undoubtedly is that it doe
 not offer as great financial induce ment to the man who enlists so as t pass into the reserve as it does to tn
 one who does not so enlist, particu
 larly during the first six years c
 his service.
 From the most careful considera { tion that | have been able to giV
 1his subject I have reached the con
 ciusion that we will be able to ge l a reserve. if one is obtainable q ell. by a provision of law that wi I permit the department when it satisfied as to the proficiency of tn !. soldier to honorably discharge hiI ], V ith no other obligation on his par
 as far as the balance of his enlist nent is concerned, except to retur to the colors in case of actual wa The brevity of my allusion to tn subject in this report is not be cause of it's slight importance, tf , lact being that l think it of the ve1 . reatest importance, but because u : details will have to be worked ol , after the most careful considcratfc 7 by congress"
 f Commending the work of the ger | (Cnnfipue1 on papa Truo