The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-12
For Immediate Army Reform.

Certainly no one can ind IN the
Chamberlain bill to increase the eff |
cheney OF the army rampant out
burst OF militarim. II proposes to
add one thousand officers and 9,62S
enlisted men 10 the present force, the
Immediate purposes being to perfect
prga ni1ation and promote training both
I'm the army itself and in the auxiliary
forces. The increase of personnel con-
templated Is 30 small that the most
ardent pacifist can hardly get excited
over 1t. The desirability of the objects
admed at Is shown IN the most con-
vinclng way by Secretary Of War GAR
BISON in his letter to Senator CHAM
BIRLAIS. the author of the bill and the
chairman OF the Military Committee OF
the Senate.
One Of the. disa strous handicaps OF
The army, or rather Of that mobile por-
lion of it which II quartered in the
United States, is the skeleton character
6f many of the units. They are often
short OF officers md always short Of
men. The force in the Philippines and
the Coast Artillery are fairly kept at
full strength but the field force at
home. the troops which correspond TO
the British expeditionary army in
peace time. Is always so much below
par as to be impaired in efficiency.
II Is short OF men because under eI-
listing executive orders enough are not
recruited to I'LL It's rosters. II Is short
Of officers because the regimental Off
GERS have TO be detached from their
commands TO perform all sorts of
duties-staff duty. experimental work.
diplomatic assignments, educational
effort with militia organizations or
with schools and colleges. The result
IL that officers and men are out OF
touch with each other. The officers
Lack acquaintance with the material
they would have 10 handle should a
sudden call come 10 take the field. The
men lack that acquaintance with their
officers and confidence in them which
Is apt to be the binding and stmulat-
ing force in the hour of trial.
The system ts utterly wrong. II is
wasteful and illogical. 1t has been
recognized as evil for decades 1t Ii
annually condemned by all the COM
petent officers IN the army. but II
has never been remedied and never
can be until there are more officers.
The commissioning of the. thousand
provided for in the bill would I'LL up all
vacancies. II would give every regi
ment full muster OF field and com
pany officers. At the same time II
would provide for all stan details and
allow margin for the militia or
EsnlZations. educational institutions
and young mems camps. 1t would end
ut once and completely the long con
finued evil. 1t would be the first ster
toward creating a real fighting force
even though small one.
The demand OF the War Depa rtment
for o.62S men embodied IN the bill car
hardly be called an increase Of the
army. 1t looks merely toward build
ing up the units in the home force tC
military completeness. 1t will still
leave the army within the country con
siderably below $4,000 men, but It will
make each company. battalion ant
regiment reality and not partially
fIled in framework. by thus complet
ing organization the officers, at leas
from Colonel down, will become &C
customed to commanding and maneu
wiring real and not theoretical bodies
men. The men VIII gain real tactica
framing as distinguished from sor
NJ game in which, like bows playin
soldiers, each man represents a squa'