El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-10

overtures.
governmental institution and powers
differing so radically from those in the
United States that any attempt TO adapt
either to American use would mean
great delay.
Enough has been said TO demon
strate" the secretary concludes that
to get something done now-somet hing
that is worth while-the best course
is to recognize and operate under exist
ing conditions. The other course is to
imagine a vain thing and accomplish
nothing.
Referring to the Mexican situation
and the troops on the border, the sec
rotary says;
THE service rendered by the troops
along the Mexican border cannot be
too highly commended. The character
Of service was Of the most difficult
and trying description. Those along
the border have not suffered them
selves to be provoked into retaliation,
but under conditions calculated to test
a soldiers mettle they have shown
poise and self-restraint, and with tact,
patience and a high order Of intelli-
gence have overcome every obstacle
difficult and delicate duties entrusted
to them It has required the exercise
Of the best qualities of character"
DesertiOn Low.
The desertiOn rate is satisfactorily
low he asserts. The experiment Of
tiOnal instruction to prisoners con-
victed Of purely military offenses with
a view to fitting them for ultimate res
tOration to duty has continued to work
satisfactorily, and system OF parole
of prisoners confined in United States
disciplinary barracks, was put into ef-
feet under suitable regulations There
has not yet been sufficient time. of
course, to show what theNresults Of the
parole system viii be"
Regular Army Increase.
Regarding the proposed increase for
the regular army, the secretary says
The total of the enlisted men and
officers in the regular army, when the
plan has been completely carried out
would be 141,S43-
TT is proposed that the term of en-
nstment in the regular army shall be
a term of years with the colors and
term Of years on furlough, during
which latter period the obligation
would be to return to the cOlors in the
event of war or the imminence thereof
THE plan necessitates the raising OF
the following additional organizations
and proposes to do this in two fiscal
years. one-half in the next fiscal year
and the other in the succeeding one:
Proposed Increases.
'sTen regiments Of infantry.
-Four regiments Of field artillery.
''Fifty-two companies Of coast ar
tillery.
Fifteen companies Of engineers
-Four aero squadrOns.
I'm addition there must be provided
a total of 20,2s3 men for the quarter
master corps. hospital corDs. ordnance
department, recruiting service, school
detachnents ETC. including 792 addi-
tional noncommissioned officers to aid
in training the citizen soldiers
1T is proposed to organize the mobile
troops in the United States into three
infantry divisions, cavalry division.
and the necessary auxiliary troops re
quired for such units in accordance
with the approval Of tables Of organi-
zst ton
1T is PROPOSED Immediately to IN
crease the physical capacity of West
Point so as TO provide for 40 students,
which is 146 more than are at present
there, and careful study is being made
of the subject as to further expansion
there.
No one can possibly have a higher
or more just appreciation of the worth
and value of West Point than the
writer. but il must be remembered in
studying this problem in the light OF
facts and these imperative conclusions
which facts demand that officers OF
our armies and of the other armies of
the world have been efficient in every
respect without having received the
benefits Of any national academy No
other nation, in fact has any such
institution as West Point. Forty-four
and seventy-six one-hundredths per
cent of the commissioned personnel of !
the United States army today are (
graduates of West Point In this !
country and in other countries where /
no similar institution exists, officers /
are made in other ways than by pre- /
liminary instruction in such an institu- /
ton.
Officers of Reserves.
With respect TO providing officers I
and reserve officers. it is proposed 10 !
companies, TO be attached to reEi- I
ments or other appropriate units Of /
cavalry, field artillery, infantry, en- I
gineers, coast artillery. and signal I
troops. These cadets will be recruited ]
from the National guard and from /
and graduates Of educational /
Institutions giving military instruction Z
rs well as those of other colleges and (
They will receive special (
pay, and will engage to serve one year ]
IN the credit companies and five years 4
IN the officers corps if found qualified 0
therefor Their year. Of service viii be
)ne of intensive training in all posi- &
ions in the company from that Of
private TO that of commissioned Of
iicer On completion of this training,
nissioned in the officers reserve corps
With such grade as is warranted by
heir respective degrees Of proficiency.
All Posts to be Used.
at is not now proposed to attempt
Encouragement Of army posts. How
.ver undesirable from a military stand
)oints the location Of some existing
POSTS may be. they do exist and can be
Utilized, and in fact viii all be neces-
AIRY If the increased forcAis provided.
rhe essential thing at this time is 10
'btain the requisite men and material
md it is relatively unessential where
We house them.
Both with respect to the army that
s constantly under arms and the
continental army, its supplement, there
s no request for sums Of money to
,uild or provide accommodations
herefor.
SeacOast FOrtfficatiOns-
THE army board reports an irreduu-
ible minimum for additional seacoast
licences, necessary accessories, and an
dequate reserve Of ammunition. to-
aling SS1,677 900, Of which there
you'd be used: 4
in continental United States. $780,
10000
"Over seas, s21.1S7,OO
n-nk 7