The Washington herald., 1916-04-21
BY T.. b. JOHNS.

While the public appears to have visions
Of a regular army of $4,000 men immedi-
ately upon the passage of the Senate
bill in it's present form. there is a pro-
vision in the bill that the increment
shall extend throughout term of five
years. The House bill provides for
four annual inCrements.
This applies to officers as well as men
and In fact to most Of the ammunition
and supplies authorized by both bills.
The extension of the increase over a
number of years is not Objectionable to
the General Staff OF the army. 1t Is
generally agreed among members Of the
General Stan that the increase could not
be made in less than three years without
materially lowering the standards of
the regular army. Some of the MEM
bers of the General StafT are of the
opinion that five inCrements are too
many, although not highly objections BILE.
-Four increments would probably be more
satisfactory to the General Staff than
five.
That it is necessary to take four or
five years to make any material increase
in the regular army only emphasizes the
Importance of maintaining the regular
army at a strength which would make IT
adequate to meet the first expedition
that would be sent against the country
by any first-Class power. The regular
army cannot be imprOvised. 1t requires
four years to produce an officer at West
Point and as long to develop an efficient
nonCommissioned officer. If the regular
army was increased to $4,000 in one
year neither officers or nonCommissioned
officers of the regular army standard
could be secured to organize it and train
1t. The minimum training period for en-
listed men of the first line in foreign
armies is two years and the regular
army is kept up to the standard Of the
European powers.
An extensive schedule for the At
lantic Fleet from May 10 to November
mas been prepared at the Navy De-
partment From May Is to May 20
the steaming trials will take place
which will be followed by divisional
exercises extending until June II. The
squadron exercises will take place
between June II and June 10.
The feet will take from July l to
July to celebrate the Fourth OF July
at such ports as may be designated
by the department. Operating from
Narragansett Bay the fleet tactical
exercises will take place between July
10 and Is. The athletic contests are
scheduled for the first five days in Au-
gust. After another series of fleet
tactical exercises from August Z to
August IL, the fleet will anchor at
Narrangansett Bay for machinery over
haul, ship drills and coalinE. The pro-
gram in the Northern waters will be
concluded from August 90 to Septem-
Der l, by strategic maneuvers after
which target practice on the Southern
drill grounds will take place during
the month of September.
The destroyer fotillA upon compile
tion OF repairs and some operations
OF the New England coast will as
semble at Gardner Bay and make
preparations to join the fleet. The
submarine operations will be based on
New London.
More than fifty per cent of the
members of the United States Marine
Corps are skilled marksmen, accord
ing to table just compiled at WASH
ington. In the little corps of 9,s21
men there are eS5 expert riflemen, 2.43S
sharpshooters and 1885, marksmen.
The Marine Corps has excellent fa-
cilities for small arms target prac-
tice and every effort is made to quali-
fy the new recruit soon after his en-
try into the service as q "desd-shot
sea-soldier."