Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-04

their present advantages. The staff
corps would he composed of men much
more closely in touch with the senti-
ments and needs of the line. There
would be more corporations and
greater efficiency"
Discussing means for the elimina
ton of unfit officers the chief of staff
says: The full efficiency of an or
ganzatiou of men cannot be secured
without system by which the merits
of the individual shall have some eff
feet upon their advancement"
1.-THE army has long suffered from the
lack of such a system" the general con-
tinues. up to the grade OF colonel pro-
motion is entirely by seniority in each
branch Conservative opposition is most
to be looked for in the army, where there
is jealous fear of the effects of favorit-
ism, but this would disappear under the
influence of a proposition of law to place
the selections where they belong, in the
hands of the service itself.
"The great majority of the officers of
the army says General Wood, discussing
the canteen question, ARE of the opinion
that the re-establishment of the canteen
under proper supervision would tend to
iinpiOSt tit utclAlhS diotipiihC taiu NAia
cheney of the service through dismissing
intemperance and immortality. 1 concur
in this opinion
The number of desertions last year was
S4ol, an increase of 1917 over the year pre-
ceeding. sit is probable" General Wood
| observes, that many young men enlisted,
| last year, with an expectation of field
service, which was not gratified. y
For the first time General Wood in this
report is able to present to Congress a
detailed plan for the reorganization of the
| field artillery in connection with the gen.
| eral army reorganization This general
| plan provides that the first increment OF
the skeleton field army shall be two reg
| iments of infantry, six battalions of field
artillery, one field company of signal
troops, five field hospitals and five ambu-
| lance companies
| BY this standard there is at present q
vast shortage of field artillery not only
| for the army, but for the militia. The
proper proportion of field guns is 3.16 pen
| 1900 cavalry and infantry, and on this ba-
| sis there Is at present a deficiency of IL
| guns or the material for three regiment:
| in the regular army, While the militia i:
short 517 guns. Moreover there is no pro
| vision for effective service of ammuni
ton and many of the guns would in {
single day fight use all the ammunition
| which can now be carried for them
Therefore, Gen. Wood, referring to TIL
military maxim that superiority of fir
is needed before troops can advance owe
the modern battlefield. adds that if we d.
not have this additional artillery tn
armies are destined to ultimate defeat
He also calls attention to the fact tina
many of the states refuse to include
proper proportion of field artillery an
cavalry in their militia, because of tn
expense and he suggests that hereafte
Congress definitely appropriate none
which can only be used by the states 70
the organizations of these arms.
General Wood strongly recommends tn
. enactment ofA legislation pending in Con
gress for certain amount of government
support of rife shooting i'm the publ
schools.