The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-21

II appears that the brunt OF the battle
against army reduction is TO be undertaken
by the staff officers, in view OF the slaugh-
ter with which they are threatened. But II
80 happens that the staff and the line are
just now not on the best Of terms. The line
officers point out that last winters scandals
IN regard to fuel and forage or other allow
nnces were due 10 the stan, and that the line
has suffered from this i'll rcpute; they also
show that the STAFF have and keep all the
soft and lucrative places while they are
enduring the hardshps and dangers ~ from
tier warfare. The STAFF however, rely on
their invariabls success in blocking the
wheels OF army retrcnchment
Now, the memorial Of line officers TO Con-
grcss from which we quoted the other day,
very buntly discloscs some Of the reasons
why the star does not like the prospect Of
reduction. AT present II n cadet IS gradu-
nted into the engineers or ordnance, simply
from being trhc above his classmates at
West Point, "hc Is In a close corporation for
lfc,' He gets more rapid promotion than
his classmates and becomes "a kind Of sc-
lcct civil engineer or machinIst," thrown into
comfortable quarters, while his classmate
goes to the frontier 10 instruct stupid re-
cruits, train horses scout, and sacrifice his
life in an Indian fight, or waste ii away in
the monotony and loneliness Of garrison
and camp" These staff officers "become
first lieutenants in q year or two, never ex-
posing their lives or health, and enjoying
all the comforts of life" while other officers
appointed from civil life, or graduating
1.-THE shadow Of n shade lower" from West
Point, yet equally competent, reach their
first licutenancics in ten years. As a proof
the Army Register shows thirty-seven
second lieutcnants OF the line, all Of from
ten to twelve years standing, and waiting
promotion; but in the engineers all the first
lieutcnants got their promotion in from one
to four years. and in the ordnance there are
no second lleutenants left, all having been
promoted in from two to seven years.
The explanation given Of this anomaly Is
that these two staff corps, as well as the
others, have their heads and their represen-
tatives in Washington always looking out
for their interests" As a gloss on this as
eortion, it may be noted that under the
BURNSIDE bill the Engineer Corps remains
intact though the Ordnance Department is
rather sharply cut up. But the memorial
goes on, with other suggestive criticisms:
90 All ~ the general stan are provided at considerable
expense with far greater assistance and office well
personal conyeniences and comforts than line officers
who perform similar duties Thi, idas hfg hirs control
efhf moH'y appropriated and hg naturally Woeds f'H lT
hsu,etsr
Quartcrmasters commissarics and paymas,ers have
clerks frequently connections attached 10 their persons
at say twelve hundred dollars
THE chief quartz and commissares equently
procure to be prescribed rules Tor post and field quarter
masters ana commissaries which are physically impos
nhe Of obscrns as ey require the lieutenant TO be in
TWO places az render returns ana
than he can possibly make out These chiefs however
Eis CIR, 20 tu mast NJ me- nonsp IN ndr on hands on pre-
tnce that line officers may be extrayagant they trans
mt them but little money ana pay most vouchers them.
selves
a postquarernasie has often 10 make out voucher
got the plycc 10 sign the receipt then transmit il
dshnrsing officer who sends check TO the post quarter
master to hand 10 the payce TINS great delay in
payments not only from the time thus wasted but that
consumed In corrections and explanations by mail and
men frequently sell their claims at discount being
Ahle 10 wait
Judge Advocates rarely prosecute. but occupy their
time IN chhci-ing those detailed for that dus and the
courts martial
Perhaps on hearing this voice from within
the army some Congressman who have
hitherto seen nothing to reform or retrcnch,
will be able to discover something Again,
the memorial declares that tho army
should not be burden on civil interests, "
nor stand in the way of the employment by
Government Of competent civilians as en-.
glneors, machinists, inventors, etc. ="
There H. after al nothing very hbstrusc in build
Ing hreakwaiers and lcucs dredging pulling snags etc.
while some OF the duties of the engineers might be per
formed by men less expensive ly educated TnaurulA
ton long word but many civilians are not afraid 70
tackle 1t, even without line escorts, which they car
rarely obtain. but which the socaod military engineer,
mus, have whenever there is any chance Of dangern
The Signal Department Is "now carried
on almost solely as Weather Bureau" ant
hence should be conducted by civilians, or
ifretalned in the army, made an equal burden
aud advantage to tho whole" Some sigma
officers have been on this so-calied sigma