The Washington herald., 1916-06-25
The Herald Army and Navy Department
Latest and Most Complete News of Service and Personnel Published in

A herd of fine mich cows Is badly need
ed at the Naval Hospital at Las Animas
Col, il the consumptives. under treat
ment there are to receive the grade of
milk which their condition requires. ac-
cording TO the report OF Medical Director
George III. Barber. u. S. N. recently SUBJ
mitted.
| Medical Director Barber has represent
ed to Surg Gen Braisted the need of the
purchase of a small strip of land near the
hospital where pasturage could be OBJ
tained and where dairy buildings could
be erected. The milk supply for the Las
Animas hospital during the past year
cost over Sl2, 800.
The director believes he could purchase
a small group OF Holstein heifers with
one or two blooded bulls at a very rea-
sonable price, and with this nucleus. start
herd which would. in time. grow to the
necessary proportions and which would
also cut down the hospitals milk bill.
| DIR. Barber. aside from being a medical
director, is also a graduate OF an agricuI-
tural college and is an authority on agrI-
cultural questions. The hospital is az.
most entirely supported with money from
the naval hospital fund which comes from
the pay OF the enlisted men, and mas
much as the expense of the institution
has not been laid upon Congress, the di-
the House and Senate TO agree on a meas
| ure which, IL rxed at s25, 900 in one lump
sum, would be sufficient to cover expenses
and would, in time. lower the hospitals
milk bill by $500 a year.
Considerable criticism is heard in army
| circles of the detailing OF former Senator
| John r. Thornton, of Louisiana, as
civilian member of the army board of
prdn ~
this gossip does not reflect upon the ap-
pointee in any measure, 1t is directed at
what is considered a farcical custom.
1t is claimed that neither Thornton nor
any other civilian without training IN the
technical side of ordnance and fortihca-
tion questions can hope TO be OF the least
| value to such a board. For years, it Is
said, the position has been occupied by
| someone with pull enough TO acquire a
| S, 900 post.
Some OF the former holders OF the posi-
tion have been punctilious in their at
tendance at meetings OF the board, but
| none OF them has impaired any ideas
| worth serious consideration, officers
claim. II is said that the work of the
| board requires about one full week OF
| the civilian members time every year.
for which the government pays highly.
| Officers have long hoped TO see a man
\ appointed who would have some idea of
| technical ordnance or fertilization engi-
| nesring, but such men, II seems, are not
| appointed.
Army officers are deeply interested in
| the report OF an army board recently
convened in the Canal Zone. which rec
ommends the acquisition of more land in
| the zone. Both army and navy officers
who have been tached there believe
| the ten-mile vide strip across the 18TH
! mus shoU.u De increased to q strip from
| thirty to forty miles wide.
| With the lands within few miles Of
the canal itself owned by foreign pow
ers. it Is impractical as we'll as almost
impossible, officers say. to execute plans
for the defense of the canal which will
really defend it.
The board OF officers which recon-
mended the acquisition of wider
strip of land on the Isthmus gave a
number of reasons for their recon-
mendation. 1t is extremely desirable
they say. to exclude all foreigners
from the areas which are certain
to be scenes of military activity in
case OF war. and in which it is pro-
posed to install elaborate defensive
works.
Furthermore, the board deems II
advisable to be free to take, in time
of peace. all measures necessary to
lproVlde for the defense OF such for
titled areas. such as the construction
of roads and trails, installation OF
information lines and the like. The
land is also needed. these officers say
for the development of coast artillery
lland-defense projects. which will in
lclude target practice with seacoasi
guns. heavy howitzers and mobile ar
Itillery.
They would also acquire additional
land to provide unrestricted maneuver
areas for troops stationed at the
Canal and the elimination of native
Villages, which are called reservoirs
of infection" 1t would also be de-
sirable. says their report, to insure
the secrecy of all defensive measures
which may be taken either now or in
the future.
|
| The rank and file OF the navy are
greatly interested in the personnel