Army On War Basis As Permanent Plan.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 3, 1913:
Divisional and Brigade Formation Provided in Reorganization Ordered by the President.
NEW DEPARTMENT CREATED
Country Divided into Four, with Division of Troops in Each — Coast Artillery Separate Branch.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.— President Taft has approved the plan for the Reorganization of the army and the necessary orders have been issued for it to go into effect at once. There is introduced what the army never has had in time of peace; the brigade and division organization. This meets and avoids the condition that always has existed at the outbreak of a war, when long delays have been necessary to organize an army. The United Slates is divided into four departments to take the place of the three territorial divisions into which the country has been partitioned for military purposes. The departments will correspond to the existing divisions, save that by a geographical line running across the northern boundary of Texas and including that State except the coast artillery sub-district of Galveston; Arkansas, except Fort Logan H. Roots; Louisiana, except the coast artillery sub-district of New Orleans, and in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona a new department is created, to be known as the Southern Department, with headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, and Brig. Gen. Tasker H. Bliss in command.
    This reorganization plan goes into effect by the order of President Taft as Commander in Chief. It does not depend on action by Congress at this time. It is the aim to have each tactical military division commanded by a Major General, if Congress approves the plan, and it also is thought that in time Congress will authorize the concentration of army posts into large brigade posts and do away with many that now are regarded as inaccessible and unfit for military occupation. Secretary Stimson to-day gave the following explanation of the plan:
    "This plan of reorganization first was drafted and prepared by the War College Division of the General Staff. It then was discussed thoroughly at the recent conference of general officers, where every aspect was examined, criticised, and debated. Several modifications have been made as a result of the criticisms and suggestions made in that conference, and it is thought to be as thoroughly in accord with the views of the army as it is possible for any such plan to be,
    "The substance is this: Hitherto there has been no tactical army organization higher than a regiment. There have been no brigades or divisions in time of peace. On the outbreak of war, when an army was needed, it has been necessary to create such an army under all the stress and hurry and excitement of such an occasion. And when the army was created under such circumstances it was an army which never had before served together and whose officers had had no opportunity in time of peace to get acquainted with their commands, their subordinates, and their superiors.
    "The present plan creates three infantry divisions and one cavalry division in the United States. Each infantry division, consists of two or three brigades, with a proper proportion of divisional artillery, cavalry, engineers, and other auxiliary troops. The cavalry division consists of two cavalry brigades, and there, is, in addition to this, a third detached cavalry brigade. The order also creates a brigade of infantry in Hawaii.