The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-12-07
Of
WAR MAKES
HIS REPORT
SETS FORTH THE CONDITION
OF MILITARY AFFAIRS AND
MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR FUTURE OF DEPARTMENT

mands abandonment OF the presen
system of - selecting candidates foi
admission to the Military Academy
Secretary Baker declares in his an
nual report, made public today. 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 Of Annapolis.
ut seems likely" Mr.. Baker SAYS.
that schools of this sort would
spread the field of selection ideally
over the country and make the
cadets at West Point and midship-
men at Annapolis bodies of young
men selected by a demonstration of
their special attitude Of military ser.
vice"
Amplifying his suggestion, he adds:
THE method of selection of cadets
for West Point has for years con-
sisted of designation BY the Presi.
dent, Senators and Representatives
with examination as a prerequisite TO
acceptance; but We are learning daily
that nation efficiently organized
from a military point of view must of
necessity be efficiently organized in.
dustrially. 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 members of men in the ,
industrial and commercial life of the /
nation who have had enough prelim- /
mary 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 in.
iustrial system. There should there. /
fore be in the country at all times
a great body Of men trained as me-
'hanics, whose places in such an
would be not in the ranks
If the fighting forces but at the
athes and forges from which the
supply of the army must
ie drawn"
Mr. Baker calls attention to the i
act that he did not take office until
Iarch 9, 1916, succeeding General !.
'cott who was Secretary ad interim o
fter the resignation of Secretary
iarrisou. He reviews briefly the his.
Dry Of affairs on the Mexican border -
eginning with the raid on Columbus. ~
.ew Mexico. and carrying it forward =
November 20, the date of the re
ort On that day, he says, there
re stiu 10000 officers and men of "
le National Guard on the border in
Idition to approximately $4,000 -,
embors Of the regular army. q"
The report goes at some length
to the odd situation which was -,
'csentcd when the National Guard IN
as summoned for border duty. %,
organization of the force under ~,
@ National Defense Act was in pro- oil
ess but not completed at the time. N
r. Baker says and complex prob ,o
ms had TO be solved. :,
"The confusious and difficulties at ,pl,
1ding the mobilization. he con. ca
ues, "wil seem insignificant in
mparison with its success and with nr,
plendid spirit with which men and 40,
icers Of the National Guard re- cl,
1rdcd." -.
The Secretary points out that the bra
ty to which the state troops we're the
led was the most trying a soldier lin
I'D lie required to perform. lack =
the movement and enthusiasm Of n,,
i've military operations, We. rppres- tho
'"s al '"e 'i''auohs ot soldiers sai
he report shows that on June "a.
6, the authorized tota, streucth
the regular army was 5.0lS Off 7
5 and l22.C93 enlisted men. an in vo,
ase Of 1S2 officers and 25.4t5 men to
T the preceding year. The actual san
myth on that date was 4Si? Of ,.aI ga.
RS and 9GOl3 enlisted me1. or ,bo
gain during the year of 227 Of ing
rs and l,2iS men. eau
nalyzing the National Defense act inir S'~
report finds that the maximum II y
sted peace strength authorized is {
,23,5SO. while the war strength ent
Id reach a total ~ 2gS 600. The col g"Ic
neth OF the National Guard con. wri
plated by the bill is fixed al L. ban
officers and 10000 mpa. but the cou,
fc .