Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-17

auxiliary troops; and it was under
stood that at the earlies possible OPP
pCrtunity the then garrison should be
brought up TO that strength.
When the Twenty-fifth infant
was suddenly ordered to Hawaii u
January, one of the first step II,
carrying out this scheme had M
taken up. We have, of course ~,
expecting TO hear of other tro6s be
ing ordered here and the rumor that
three additional regiments of infan
try are coming causes no surprise
since this will bring the number oil
regiments of foot in Oahu up TO six
the number recommended by Secre
tary of War Simpson"
Major A. S. Conklin, in voicing the
same sentiment, advised the Star
Bulletin representative to turn to his
tiles of February 13 and to previous
files. "You will find" he said, that
three months or more ago both pa
pers in Honolulu published the re
Communications of Secretary Slim
son as to increasing the garrison OF
of Oahu to. among other increases
additional regiments are preparing to
sail from San Francisco it is simply
carrying out these recommendations
1T was also stated months age
that the troops in Oahu should be
kept up to war strength. This was
in keeping with the policy to be car.
ried out in the Philippines as well as
in Hawaii The several hundred sol
diers arriving on the Sherman this
week were simply sent here to bring
the troops up, so far as is now pos
sible, to this standard
"All movements of troops to Oahu
are in the routine of bringing the
garrison up to the strength prescrib-
cd by the secretary of war long be-
fore there was any anti-alien agita-
ton whatever in California. No sig
Dificance is attached to the news that
more troops are to be sent here as,
in case the troops are sent, the war
department will only be carrying out
program announced in the newspa.
pers menths ago.
The wireless message to the morn
ing paper, which was so stated as to
arouse some apprehension in local
circles in view of the anti-alien agi-
tation in California, stated that the
three regiments of infantry are to
be given their marching orders and
furnished transportation to Honolulu.
The transports Crook, Buford and
Thomas are now in San Francisco,
the former two having been held
there for over a year for use in case
a large number of troops are trans
ported, and could easily be gotten
ready. for the regiments to be ordered
to Oahu.
The article published in the Star
Bulletin of February f3 and referred
to by Major Conklin was as follows
"The plans for Oahu's ultimate
vide three infantry brigades instead
Of two for the permanent garrison.
This will make 9 regiments of infan-
try, almost one-third the number of
rifles as all the regiments here will
he on a war basis of $50 men to a
company. The infantry division will
be reinforced by a full regiment of
cavalry and 9 batteries of field ar
tillery, while seacoast defense forti-
fications will be manned by at least
10 companies of coast artillery A
company of engineers, a signal COM
pany and the proper sanitary troops
will complete the army of Oahu.
This decision was reached after a
conference of general officers in
Washington, who met to discuss the
recommendations as to the defense of
Oahu made by Secretary of War
stimson"