The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-12-10

strength. This would require $4,000
men. In addition 10 the enlisted men
Just mentioned. We should be author
lied TO obtain 1000 more officers"
Results Of Increase.
An increase OF the enlisted perso
mel or the army by $4,000 men would
accomplish threefold results. says
the report 1T would, as before
mentioned, bring up to full
strength the existing units OF the mo-
bile army in continental United
States and thus supply more ade-
quate force. Second. II would afford
training for the officers in the COM
mand or such units as they must
command In time OF war and would
prevent, as far as the regular army is
concerned, the crowding of the ranks
with raw levies which always disor-
ganize and render inefficient the or
ganizations into which they come.
Third. il would be wise investment
from the standpoint OF economy, In
that no material increase OF overhead
charges would be necessary, and the
addition OF these men could be effect
ed at a per capita cost to the govern
ment OF about one-third the per cap
tia cost under existing conditions.
Since the existing physical plant and
the administrative organization would
not have TO be In any way increased
to take care OF this increased force.
the only additional expense would be
the clothing. feeding. and paying
thereof.
Again, without attempting to wait
until perfection has been reached, IL
seems to me that II is only the part
Of wisdom TO do that which we know
will produce a beneficial result, and
one that approximates the best. /
am firmly convinced that IL we can
use the standing army as a school
through which TO pass men who come
into II, with the knowledge that TX
they are proficient they can be dis
charged at any time after year OF
IS months, we will begin az once TO
build UP the necessary reserve, and
Will, for the first time in the military
history OF this country have some
thing approXimating balanced or
ganization.
by intense military training, any
young man OF good health and aver
age mentality can be made service
able soldier IN ~ months. and, In fact.
has been so made. This has been
tried abroad, and | have caused Ii to
be tried under my own administra-
ton and inspection, Even II there
were doubt about it, IL would not
cause a different conclusion 10 be
reached by a reasonable man. because
we certainly would be better of with
a reserve OF men who had had one
years training than We are without
any reserve at all and having 70 de.
pend, as we do, upon men who have
never had any training whatever l
caused, about year ago. recruits. as
they came in. and without selection.
70 be organized into a battery OF ar.
tillery, a troop OF cavalry, and a com
pany OF infantry: and from my own
Observation and from the reports OF
experts, each OF these units. well with
in a year, was found proficient 10 q
very high degree.
II am, therefore, firmly convinced
that we should have immediate legis.
lation dealing with the matter OF en-
listment and reserve. | am not so
much concerned with the length OF
TIE enlistment. provided the secretary
OF war is given power To discharge
into the reserve. at the end OF IL
months. those who have shown them
selves proficient up TO q required
standard.
"A practically similar provision
should exist In every state which
an organized militia.
The health of the army has been
good. The last year
has afforded the lowest recorded non.
effective rate in the history OF the
army; reduction OF nearly 20 per
cent in non-eficiency from sickness
and injury has resulted. There were
only four cases OF typhoid fever I'm
the army including the Philippine
scouts. Two OF these were cases oi
recruits of four and Ave days service.
respectively, who had not been I'm.
munized. venereal diseases have de-