The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-11
Secretary Of War Makes
Report to President
Wilson.
NO DISCUSSION
OF ARMY POSTS
Recommendations for Expected
Rearrangement Will Be Made
Later to Congress-Discusses
Mexican Border Patrol at
Length-Wants Increased
Pride in the Army.

Washington, December lO.-Sccretary
Garrison's first annual report tc the
President, as head or the War Depart
ment, makes no recommendations for
the generally expected rearrangement
of army posts to distribute troops in
mobile units. The secretary says that
other things of immediate Importance,
particularly an adequate supply OF
field artillery" Will postpone his rec
concentrations to Congress. but, in the
meantime. the troops will be garri-
soned in az practical a manner for
mobilization a3 is possible.
Mr.. Garrison discusses the militia az
some length. He says in part:
The national Importance OF a re-
serve system for The organized militia
cannot De questioned. The minimum
strength, at which militia -organiza
tions ara maintained In time OF peace.
Will render necessary 4 great ard i'm
mediate increase in a national emer-
gency and this fact demands the pres
ence Of system OF reserves from
which trained men may be secured for
this increase. Without some such
system, not only will such increase be
rendered exceedingly difficult, but even
when accomplished the efficiency OF the
organizations will have been reduced
TO minimum by the Introduction Of
L.
ber :he trained personnel
Proper organization as required bv
the law is absolutely necessary If the
organized militia is to be counted on
as a dependable military Federal as
set In time OF national need. and the
organizations existing as such in name
only Will be required TO complete their
component elements or lose Federal
recognition of their character as such
organizations.
Increase in Efficiency.
While there has been 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 elirni-
nation OF organizations found hope
lcssly inefficient and is compensated for
BY an increase in general efficiency. 1t
is regretted that in target 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
the training of the infantry soldier.
The present tendency TO develop rifle
teams. composed mostly of commits
stoned officers, at the expense of target
practice for the enlisted man is op-
posed TO the Federal policy in this mat
ter, and should be discontinued"
Discussing the army reserve the sec
retary says:
Inc hujul3H -NIener0l reports tnat
approximately 21.000 men enlisted in
the army between November !. 1912,
and August 81. 1913, and of this number
siNty-one made applications to be fur
louShed 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 interview :
ing as many OF the officers and men
as I could that the men were diSsat-
isfied with the present enlistment con-
tract. 1t does not seem worth while
TO discuss whether their dissatisfaction
is we'll founded or not, since il exists,
and if we are to build up reserve we
must devise some method of doing so.
That we must build up reserve seems
to be the consensus of opinion. and
understand that Congress is favorable
to a reserve. One trouble with the
present law undoubtedly is that ii does
not offer as great financial inducemcnt
to the men who enlists so as to pass
into the reserve as it does to the one
who does not enlist. particularly
during the first six years of his SER
vice.
OF Greatest Importance.
From the most careful considera-
ton that ] have been able to give this
subject, I have reached tho conclusion
that we will be able to get a reserve,
if one is obtainable at all. by pro-
vision OF law that will permit the de-
partmcnt when it is satisfied as to the
proficiency of the soldier to honorably
discharge him with no other obliSa-
ton on his part. as far as the balance
of his enlistment is concerned. except
to return to the ColorS in case OF ac-
tual war. The brcvity OF my allusion
TO this subject in this report Is not
because of it's slight Importance. the
fact being that + think it of the very
greatest Importance. but because the
details will have to be worked out af-
ter the most careful consideration by
Congress"
Commenting the work OF the general
staff. the Army War College and Of
ficers generally. for their establish
meat of n definite national military
policy and the encouragement OF mill
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