The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-23
The President Urged to
Revoke a Recent
Order.
Will Probably Be Detailed as
Military AttaChe at
Vienna.
Opportunities to Be Given Officers
to Go Abroad-New Rules
for Promotion.

| WASHINGTON, D. c., May 22.-The
Army and Navy Register says: A report
is current at the War Department that
President Mckinley will revoke the order
| issued by the last administration which
| provides for the retirement Of Major OAR
| ling, Third Artillery, Preside of San
Francisco, In June. Prominent friends OF
Major Darling are urging this. it is under
stood, and have earnestly requested that
the major be detailed as military attache
of the United States legation at Vienna.
A few days ago it was said at the War De-
! partment that Secretary Alger had de-
clined to order Major Darling to Vienna.
1t is now said that the Secretary is on the
point of reconsidering his action and of
recommending that the order of retire.
ment be revoked and that the MAJOR be
ordered to Austria.
- Secretary Sherman has revoked an or
DER of his predecessor which is of interest
to army officers contemplating trip
| abroad. When Mr.. Olney was Secretary
| of State he issued an order providing that
hereafter the State Department will issue
| special passports requested by the w ar
Department to officers going abroad, when
| such passports are to be put to uses tend
ing to increase the efficiency of the mill
| tary service, and not for the purpose OF
| purely private or personal convenience.
| Practically the order put stop to officers
| going abroad, except in cases where they
were sent officially by the War Depart
| ment. 1t deprived them OF opportunities
afforded in Europe of obtaining military
knowledge beneficial to themselves and
important to the Government. Very nat
urally, many complaints were made by
officers against the order, but Secretary
O.ney refused to rescind it.
On Monday Secretary Alger represented
to Secretary Sherman that it was advisa-
BILE to resciEd the Olney order and to make
it impossible for officers of the army, more
particularly at the present time, to OBJ
tain special passports. The reason for
| this was so obvious that Secretary Sher-
| man acted favoraply upon the suggestion.
Hereafter when the War Department
requests that special passports be issued
| to officers they will be made out. The new
| order from the State Department will say
| that special passports will be granted army
| officers when application for them is made
| by he Secretary OF War.
scheme is under consideration at the
War Department which proposes to make
more uniform and consistent regulations
| relative to the examination of officers of
| the army for promotion. All officers of
| the army are aware OF the fact that there
| is now a lack of uniformity in this direc-
| ton.
| The examination of officers of the line
differs in manner from that of officers of
The ordnance corps. and that of officers OF
| that corps Is not such as is directed for
mem bers OF the signal corps, nor do the
rules for the examination of staff officers
conform 10 the system prescribed for the
line in many particulars. The idea of the
officials seems to be to draw up regula-
lions which will more specifically define
the order of the examinations, possibly to
modify the scope somewhat, but more
particularly to provide IN what subjects
there shall be an oral examination, in
what written examination, etc.
Acknowledgement Ruggles has the SUBJ
ject under Amusement 1t is understood
that he will shortly submit 10 Secretary
Alger proposed order in the case. Gen.
eral Ruggles, since the existing law went
into effect, has given the matter of the
examination of officers careful conside era
ton. AS a result of study and inquiry,
he is especially we'll informed as TO the
requirements. No radical changes in the
regulations are contemp plated. The prop
osition being considered looks especially
10 cnaHge III lne eRuiatioHS "nicn Will
insure greater uniformity in methods.
Attorney General McKenna has DECIDED
that chapel cannot be built on the Mill
tary Academy r. serVation by the Catholic
church.
In an opinion forwarded to the Secre-
AIRY Of War Judge McKenna considers the
legal questions involved in the matter.
His conclusion is in effect thatno corpora
ton, denomination, ETC., has the right to
pre-empt parts of Government reserva-
tions.
Private William T. Walton, Battery /,
Third Artillery, now at Angel Island,
CAL, is transferred to the Hospital Corps
as a private. Upon the receipt Of this
order at the post the commanding officer
will order him 10 report 10 the surgeon
for duty at the hospital
Lieutenant George O. Squier, Third
Artillery, is here on leave OF absence.