Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-02-09
RESERVE FORCE
DEMANDS
CONSIDERATION
Gen. Wood Says This Is Most
important Army Matter
Up for Years

The creation of a reserve is the
most important army matter before
: Congress in many years, in the Opin-
ion of Maj.-Gen. Leonard Wood. as
expressed in his annual report as
chief OF stan just issued.
The United States army, reinforced
by the entire state militia, has Meth
er officers, men, field guns, nor ar
j tillery ammunition which would be
required in the first few weeks of war
i with any first-class power,
There is not sufficient artillery am
munition for one big engagement.
There are not sufficient trained men,
and none to fill the ranks thinned by
a single engagement. In fact, Geher-
al Wood believes that the United
States today has but % per cent of
the needed trained soldiers, even
| after the organized militia and other
| trained men are included.
He urges that such conditions be
| remedied, that there be reserve,
that regiments serving abroad be re-
cruited to maximum strength, that
the field artillery arm be increased in
size along the lines of a fixed pro-
gram covering a span of years.
He, makes four main proposals, and
| they are summarized as follows:
First-Establishme of a reserve
of trained men sufficient to bring the
regular army Immediately to full stat
utory strength, and to replace the
| losses of the first three months of
war.
! Second-Prompt provision of the
remaining AZ per cent of the field ar
tillery project, including guns as yet
unprovided for, and the necessary am
/ munition for those now made or un-
der manufacture.
- characterization of the necessary
organizations to give three complete
tactical infantry divisions within the
continental limits of the United
States.
Fourth-Enactment of such person
incl legislation as will eliminate effec-
lively the unfit and stimulate the eff
cient officer to continued efforts
through establishing condition un-
der which progress in rank and COM
mand will have close and dependent
relationship upon capacity, fitness,
and accomplishment.
General Wood believes in the elm
ination of the unfit from the roster
of officers. He says that progress
| and promotion are as a general propo-
! sition in lockstep, in which the least
fit and the best maintain their rela-
tive positions. This kills ambition,
p; he says. 80 H''E-'',<' - -
| y T<>0i
A postgraduate course in the game
of war for naval officers at Newport
|! is the latest plan of Secretary DAM
els for diffusing the benefits of the
war college courses throughout the
J navy. OF necessity only fraction
=! Of the total number of officers in the
navy can be spared from their duties
/ aboard ship and at stations person
ally to attend the war college at New
port. =
The fact that officers have complet-
ed the naw correspondence course
will be entered upon the records. The
! war college course has been short
ened from 49, months to year, and
the first of the new classes on that
basis will begin Immediately A sec
ond class starts in July of each year
so that the work of the college will
henceforth be continuous.
! Each new class will be associated
with one of six months experience,
thus carrying along the traditions and
spirit of the college.
~ y
Representative Kahn of California,
! ranking Republican member of the
military affairs committee of the
house and chairman of the National
Defense League, introduced bill au-
thoriZing the secretary of war to issue
military training is part of the cur
/ riculum Unaed States magazine
rifles, equipment and ammunition free
: of cost for target practice. The meas
ure is designed to stimulate military
feeling, of course, and is part of the
: general scheme of the National De-
tense League. 1t is stated that the
| United States owns 1874 900 krag-Jor
! gensen .30-Caliber rifles in serviceable
condition, with an immense supply Of
ammunition. The army no longer
uses this type Of weapon, and it is the
purpose of the Kahn bill to put the
arms to practical use.
y y
Recent tests at Sandy Hook demon
strate that the ordnance department
Of the army has been successful IN
producing the highest class Of pro
JeCtiles for mortarS. TWelve-inCh NOR
tar projeCtiles which are to ~be used
for the Panama Notifications have
I been subjected to the seveTest tests
under the most unfavorable conditions.
! Modern deck armOr plate has beer.
pierced at the range Of IL miles by
hallistic samples of mortar projectiles.
These projectiles have been fired a:
deck armor plate at the most Obliuue
impact. and have shown results which
are highly gratifying to officers of the
ordnance department. The WatertOwn
arsenal, which has made success in
the manufacture of mortar prOjeCtiies.
is now engaged in making projeciles
fer IL and 14-inch guns. Already
large shipments of 12-inch mortar pro
jectiles have been made to Panama,
and these will be followed by projec-
tilac for Gums as soon as they can be