New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-24

military patronage taken from their
state governments II has been
monstrous dog n-themanger perform
anco. The states will not or can not
probably both-provide the citizen
reserve force which is essential to the
nations security, yet they Will not
permit the nation itself to do so, as IL
easily could and would.
Under General Carriers plan we
should have triple system. There
would be the regular army. small but
fit, for constant service. There would
be the federal volunteers, composed
of citizens trained in arms and READY
TO respond TO tho call of the federal
government without waiting for state
action. There would be also the state
militia, as at present, at the command
of state authorities, for state pur-
poses. II is pointed out that TINS
system would be a relief to the states,
since il would enable them, or some
Of them, to get along with less ex-
pense for militia than they now incur.
That such an arrangement should DE
opposed and defeated just for the sake
of retaining for the state authorities
monopoly of brass buttons and mill
tarv titles is grave impeachment
of patriotism. That II should be de-
feated on the ground that to have less
than one half Of one per cent OF the
population trained In arms and In tho
potential service of the nation would
burden us with militarism and threaten
the states with federal despotism, is
reflection upon sanity and common
sense.
General Carter discusses various
other topics; indeed, the whole range
of our military needs. He exposes the
evils of short term enlistments, IN de-
creased efficiency and increased PEN
sion rolls. lie shows the need of such
reorganization of our present regular
army as will make it better balanced
In its various departments. There
should also be, he thinks, a radical re-
vision of the system of distribution at
army posts. For our outlying posses
sions. the Philippines, Hawaii and the
Canal Zone, he would have a special
and distinct branch of the service; a
sort Of colonial army, recruited and
equipped for its special duties, which
are entirely different from those Of the
United States army. He would en-
courage military instruction and drlll
in schools and colleges. He would
also have promotions TO actual COM
mand in the army based upon merit as
well as upon seniority. to the extent
Of retiring incompetent officers imme-
diately upon the promotion to which
seniority entitled them, in order to
make room for their more competent
juniors. Indeed. there is scarcely a
phase Of military organization upon
which he does not touch with informa-
tion and profit.
; One other point must be referred to
the sanitary achievement of our pres
ent army administration, which we
must reckon among the most splendid
in the world. A single citation Of sta
tistics will suffice. In 1898 there were
1879 troops at Jacksonville for four
months, with 1888 cases of typhoid,
2lS deaths from that disease and PSI
deaths from all causes. In 1911 there
were 12,S01 troops at San Antonio for
four months, with one case of typhoid,
no death from that disease, and only
eleven deaths from all causes. Com
ment upon those facts and figures
would be superhuous. II civilization
does not get forward upon powder
cart, at least the powder cart keeps up
with the procession of civilization.