New-York tribune., 1873-01-07
WASHINGTON.
A NEEDED REFORM

NEEDED REFOhM.
BUREAUCRATIC ARMY OFFICERS" SOFT PLACES
FOR FAvoRITEs-TOo MANY CARPET kNiGiiio 10
ON DUTY-TIME FOR REORGASlZAiioN We
THE WAR DEPARTMENT..
fYRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE !
WASHINGTON, jan. 6.-The recent contro'
yersy between Gen Sherman and the Secretary OF war
in regard their relative authority In the war Depart
men though amicaby settled has caused TO De
an old discussion Of the relations OF the Departments anu
the army Gen. Sherman held that the heads OF bureaus
in the War Department we're members OF MS stsu' anu
must therefore, conduct business with him ana not WI"
the Secretary OF War This assumption Is but the ont
growth Of feeling which pervsdes the entire army that
the War Department the especial property OF officers
to be governed by them and administered - TO fu
nsh greatest number Of soft places to be hed oy
them Gen. Shermans headquarters are not necessarily
in Washington; they might be In NewYork, as In Gen.
Scots time In the field in Of war; 1t would then
be absurd to remove all the heads Of bureaus from
Washington and leave the Secretary Of War here alone
with his chief clerk, to act simply as the mouthpiece
OF the President as Commanderin-Chief OF the
Army glance at the present organization
OF the War Department cannot fail to con-
vince any one at all familiar with the business
transacted in It, that there are about three times az
many army officers duty there as are needed ana
that nearly all OF the work done by them could be bet
ter and moro cheapy done by civilian clerks For In
stance take the AdjutantQeneraPs Department. The
head OF the bureau Is brgader general with mini
mum pay OF $500 year, and he has four assistants
each and one a captain with minimum pay OF t,0ooor
$4,000. Beside these the mas , en,es
with those OF the Pension nee proper which disbares
OOOOO annually and has the control OF hundIe3s @ Ol
missioner salary Of 5000 and one CHER clerk az
salary Of $1,000 Nobody T aoS6s oSs tnS' re aDv Tunes
greater than those Of the former The same extraya
gance IL found IN every bureau OF the War department.
and nh I'M
get into soft places In Washington. II obtains 10 some
number OF officers is much greater though not TO such
an extent as in the War Department
officers thus nomnaly employed the War Department
needed In the performance Of their legitimate mlltary
duties and II there was anything TOT .ne 10 oo
Washington. Gen. Sherman told the Approplhnslonss
Committee OF the House. the other day, tnat ne ness
Point Military academy od odd ba II nr"babIy did not
TO him that at least twotrds OF tne 50 oces on
duty at the War Department ASSISTANTS TO the heads
of departments to say nothing doing stat duty,
might better be- serving with their regiments ana nng
contract surgeons while there four regular
surgeons here acting ornamental assistants to the
ment needs reorganzIng II the AdjutaDt General the
Quartermaster General or the Chief of Ordnance was
serving in the ed he woud OF course be performing
military duties and would report TO the General Of the
Army. but in the department they are all civil officers
civil officer The duties OF the assistants, where
they have any also civil and cerica ana coud De
better cheaply performed by civil clerks 1t Is
doubtful indeed If the places OF ten OF them would be
filled II the law required the appointments 10 be made
from civil life
II there was other objection to the practice have
here exposed, the fact that fosters system Of favor
itism In the army which detrimental to It's discipline
is sufficient reason 70 call for reform. Many Of the
officers now ON duty at the War department have been
there mach longer than the customs OF the service
allow and are kept their places through the influence
OF the Military Ring" OF which the country has heard
so much aud OF existence Of which The Congressional
DirscOr in giving the organization OF the War Depart
ment contains the evidence. Its the opinion OF those
beat acquainted with the working OF the War Depart
ment that the Secretary should be, as far possible,
man without strong army affiliations traditions and
with nerve enough relieve from tue War Department
and it's bureaus the majority OF useless officers in
trenchel therein.