The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-07
SELECTION OF
 CADETSSHOULD
 BE DEMOCRATIC
Secretary Baker Advocates Changes in West Point
 Methods

Washington, Dec. 7.-Efficient military organization of the nation demands abandonment of the present system of selecting candidates for ad- mission to the Military Academy, Secretary Baker declares in his an nual report, made public to-day. In- stead of having the President and members of Congress designate stu dents to take the entrance examina- tions, the Secretary urges that prep aratory schools be established by the government and graduates of these institutions who show the greatest fitness be further trained at West Point or Annapolis.
 'Ie seems likely" MT. Baker says, t'that schools of this sort would spread the field of selection ideally over the country and make the cadets at West Point and midshipmen at Annapolis bodies of young men se- lected by 8 demonstration of their special aptitude for the pursuit of military service"
 Amplifying his suggestion, he adds:
 "The method of selection of cadets for West Point has for years >son- sisted of designation by the President, Senators, and Representatives, with examination as a prerequisite to ac- ceptance; but we are learning daily that a nation efficiently organized from military point of view must of necessity be efficiently organized industrially. We are learning also that the ideal military preparation of any country is one which is readily expanded in an emergency so as to include great numbers of men in the ;oJ iol ,0 nation who have had enough pre- liminary training to make them con- vertible by brief additional training into officers. Should the United States ever be called upon to meet a great military emergency a large army would have to be sustained and supported by a highly co-ordinated industrial system. There should there fore be in the country at all times a great, body of men trained as mechanics, whose places in such an emergency would be not in the ranks of the fighting forces but at the lathes and forges from which the ammuni- tion supply of the Army must be drawn.
 ''I venture to believe that if the Federal government were to establish in a number of places throughout the country schools preparatory to the Military Academy at West Point and the Naval Academy at Annapolis, in which the rudiments ora sound edu- cation, sthe elements of mechanical skill, the principles of business CO., ordination, and the beginnings of mill itary science were taught, these schools would develop the natural aptitudes of the students in such a way as to supply those fittest by tenn perament and talent to pursue in the Military Academy and the Naval Aca- demy the study of military science; and incidentally these schools would furnish great body of men return ing to civil life fitted by training eith- CT to respond in an emergency to a call to the colors or to take their places as civil soldiers in the service of the government in those industries and undertakings fundamental to the successful conduct of military opera tions.
 "The suggestion here made ought not perhaps to be further elaborated in this report, but I think it will be apparent on reflection that no ex- penditure in contemplation of mili- tary emergency would be more apt or helpful than one which gave to 25, ,O0O, or 30,000 young men the in spiration of industrial education at the, hands of the government, indoc- trinated them with the spirit of ser vice to their country, and tabulated them so that they would be always available for either the military or in- dustrial~ service which their academic experience indicated most in accord ance with their aptitudes.'
 MT. Baker calls attention to the fact that he did not take office until March 9, 1916,. succeeding General Scott who was Secretary ad interim after the resignation of Secretary Garrison. He reviews briefly the his- tory of affairs on the Mexican bordef beginning with the raid on Colum- bus, New Mexico, and carrying 1t for ward to November 20, the date of the report. On that day, he says, there are still 10000 officers and men of the National Guard on the border in addition to approximately 48,0OO member of the regular army.
 Under the sub-heading, ''The pres ent situation," the report continues:
 '"The mere presence of this enlarg- ed force has served to preserve peace and protect life and property. Dis turbances by outlaws and bandits in Northern Mexico have continued and rowing bands of various numbers have moved through the territory, harrass- ing Mexican forces and raidfng Mexi- can communities, but they have not ventured an attack upon the people of the United States. In the mean time the militia forces on the border have been drilled, their organizations perfected, and their personnel &C., customed to life in camp in the per formance of this defensive duty'
 The report goes at some length into the odd situation which was present. ed when the National Guard was summoned for border duty Reor-