The San Francisco call., 1897-02-01
new RULES FOR
ARMY DISCHARGES
Important Changes Contem.
plated by the War De-
partment.
A Simple Form to Be Used in
Describing the Record of
the Soldier.
General Craighill Will Retire Yo un.
tarily To-Day-Colonel ] NJ. Viii.
sen H Is Successor.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. Slim
pcrtant changes in army regulations rela-
ting TO discharges are under consider
alton at the War Department The proba-
billties point to the issuance of new orders
on the subject in the early future. The
Assistant Secretary of War now has the
matter before him. He will soon submit
to Secretary Lamont recommendations as
to what changes in regulations should be
made, especially as to the kind and form
of discharges and manner OF preparing
and issuing them. This work, under Gen.
aral Does direction, is new form of dis
/caarge, and rules OF guidance have been
drawn up. These are at present receiving
that officials attention.
The Assistant Secret etary's proposition is
to have but one kind or form of discharge
hereafter. On the face of this it is to be
stated tnat the person named lis hereby
discharged from the army of the United
States"
The face of the discharge will not indi-
cate the character of the man, but on the
back it will appear, both in general way
and also in special manner, upon what
the officer signing the discharge based his
conclusion-that is, one line will be given
TO the soldiers general merit mark. This
will be defined by the words excellent"
good, - "iair," indifferent" and 'bad."
Then viii follow lines upon which to give
information as to the soldiers proficiency
in military duties, sobriety and obedience,
10 be similarly defined by words.
a similar system of making DISCHARGES
OF sailors and marines is in iorce in the
Paoanffv hNa I'D aF
marine officers considering records OF en-
listed men in connection with the award
ing of good conduct badges have found
that certain On-commissioned officers
and privates were given excellent char
acters, while the information concerning
their proficiency in cleanliness sobriety
and obedience averaged good or fair.
Another feature OF the new proposition
IS to have appeals in discharge cases set
tied in military departments where the
DISCHARGES are granted. The plan provides
for doing away with character boards.
Each company commander is TO put or a
soldiers discharge the marks which he
thinks he is entitled TO, also his general
standing of efficiency. Ii viii not be ceces-
sary 10 inform the soldier what these
marks are, but If the captain decides that
the mans service has not been honest and
faithful he must notify him OF the fact.
Then the soldier may appeal to the post
commander, who will appoint a board to
consider the case. If the board sustains
the captain the case is dropped. Whether
1t approves or disapproves the case next
goes to the post commander. His action
is final ii he agrees with the board. Ii he
disapproves the case is forwarded to the
department commander. No appeal to
the War Department is now proposed,
although this point has not been definitely
settled.
General William P. Craighill, chief of en-
gineers of the army, will voluntarily re-
tire from active service on Monday next.
1t appears that General Craighill has a
strong prejudice against being retired for
age. To his friends he has said that he is
good for much more hard work; that he
Is desIrous of obtaining suitable employ
mentin civil life, and that his chances of
securing an acceptable position might be
impaired should his record show that he
had quit the active list on account OF age.
The CALL correspondent learns that tne
President has decided to name Colonel
John ii. Wilson, in charge of public
buildings and grounds in the District of
Columbia, as General Craighill's successor.
Colonel Wilson is an officer OF marked
ability. He was az ideal superintendent
of the military academy. His manage.
mert OF Washington public buildings and
grounds shows him to be an officer of fine
executive ability.