Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 141, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1903 — ARMY IN GOOD SHAPE. [ARTICLE]

ARMY IN GOOD SHAPE.

Secretary Root's Annual Report Commends General Staff. Secretary Root devotes a large portion of hia annual report of the operations of the War Department to the organization nnd work of the general staff. He quotes the statute and regulations by which the general staff is authorized, and continues: “It will he perceived that we are liera t providing for civilian control over the military arm, but for civilian control to be exercised tirrough a single military expert of high rank, who is provided witli an adequate corps of professional assistants to aid him in the performance of his duties. In this way it is hoped that the problem of reconciling civilian control witli military efficiency with which jve have been struggling for so many years will be solved. "It is gratifying to report that the uew .system of control has been accompanied by most harmonious effort nnd cheerful good will on the part of the members of the general staff, the chiefs of all the War Department bureaus and the officers of the -army at large.” Following the same line of policy the report says the Secretaries of War and the Navy entered into an agreement for a joint army and navy hoard to secure joint action and co-operation of the two branches of the service. Of the results expected, the Secretary snys: “The common understanding and mutual assistance between the two services, which it is within the power of * this hoard to bring about, may he made to cover a wide range. If the two forces are ever to he called upon to co-operate, the time to determine what each shall do nnjl the time for each to learn wluit the other can do, is before the exigency arises.” The full strength\Qf the regular army (Set. 15, 1903, was 5.6§1 officers and 55,500 enlisted men, of whom 843 officers and 14,667 men were on duty iu the. Philippines. There were also in the service 26 officers and 520 enlisted men in the Porto Rico regiment. 99 officers and 4,805 enlisted Philippine scouts, nud 2,807 hospital corps men. These figures show a net decrease during the veur pf 11,978. The Secretary commends the act tof promote the efficiency of the militia nnd providing for calling it into the service of the national government In time of war. The total number of organized militia iivniinbh* for this purpose is 9,120 commissioned officers nnd 81,007 men. New York leads with 13,865) men. Pennsylvania comes second with 9,068 and Illinois third with 6,665). The Secretary favors a further reduction of the troops in the Philippines, but docs not think it desirable until the eonstrnetiop.of barracks and quarters in the United States lias made further progress. The total expenditures of the department for tbt year ended June 30. 1903. were $108,577,762, of which the military establishment took $70,141,622, the civil establishment $2,028,372 * nud public works, including fortifications nnd nntionnl defenses, $30,341,947. The estimates for the present fiscal year- aggregate $125.985).435, of which $77,986,515 Is for the imny nnd $40,175,013 for public works, • <> Aside, from such .nctiou as may be needed fir coast defense, the Secretary says he unessint think any important legislation regarding the army will be advisable for some time to come, and not until the army shall have time to work out the new methods under the directioq of the general staff.