The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-02-21
ALL REGULARS
ARE INTERESTED
General Does Proposition to
Change Discharges Not
Approved.
Military Committee of the Senate
Favors Increasing the Army
Strength.
Haw ,ey'S Bill Amended AMI Two New
Regiments of Artillery to Be
Created

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. 2o.-The
proposition of the Assistant Secretary of
War to modify army regulations relating
to discharges, and to do away with all
kinds of discharges except one, has been
referred to the commanding general and
djutsnt-general for consideration and
report. According to General Does sug-
gestion what may be called for convent
ence an honorary discharge is to be
printed on parchment and dishonorable
discharge is to be printed on paper.
On the face of neither kind of discharge
will there appear any word or words TO
indicate the character of the soldier, ex-
cept at the bottom of the honorable dis
charge, where there will be coupon, to
remain or be detached, according to cir
cumstances, reading: THE service of the
soldier has been honest and faithful"
General Dol. before transmitting his
proposition to General Miles and General
Ruggles, decided TO put on the face of the
discharge this sentence: THE military
record OF the soldier whose name appears
hereon will be found on the back of this
paper"
This will appear about the middle of the
page, Just above the data relating to the
date. ETC., of the soldiers enlistment. The
adiutant-general on his Endorsement on
the paper states that he does not see the
necessity at present for any change. The
major general commanding has con-
Cured in the opinion. The matter is now
before the Secretary. The question of the
military and naval cadets coming to
Washington on Inauguration day has not
been decided by Congress.
The Senate Committee on Military At
fairs discussed the question at its last
meeting, but majority of the committee
lot being present no formal vote was had
A special mee:i ling of the committee has
been called for next Monday, when the
matter will be disposed of. The vote will
be favorable, according TO pre- sent indica-
tons.
The House committee has referred the
resolution of that body to the Secretary of
War for a recommendation. Thus far the
Secretary has not replied. The committee
will take no action until his answer is re-
ceived and considered. 1t is of interest to
state in this connection, that when
the resolution was called up in the COM
mittee last Tuesday motion to postpone
action indefinitely was voted down by
! considerable majority. This would seem
10 indicate that the committee is favor
able TO the idea of bringing the cadets
here.
The Senate Comm ittee on Military Al
fairs agreed last week to report to the
Senate a proposition to increase the artil-
lery. General HaWley was instructed by
the committee to make report. The
proposition of the com mittee is TO amend
3 ~, ,wrrle = u
the army. 1t became evident to the com
mittee some time ago that there was no
probability of the generals measure being
adopted at this session.
Owing to representations made by Gen
eral Miles, and because of their individual
knowledge of the military requirements
me N bers of the committee decided that il
was important that the artillery should
| be increased at once. Accordingly the
committee adopted an amendment 10 the
| Hawley bill, which In its judgment meets
the immediate necessities.
On Monday Senator Hawley reported
the amendm ent 10 the Senate The
all after the enacting clause and insert
The following: That the artillery of the
army shall consist of seven regiments and
that the total number of enlisted men in
the army of the United States, including
Indian scouts and the hospital CORPS shall
| be increased ], 900.
Section 2. That each regiment of artil-
lery shall consist of one colonel, one
ieutenant-colonel, three majors. twelve
captains, four teen first lieutenants, twelve
second ieutenants, l sergesnt-major, one
quartermaster-serge one chief mu-
stefan, two principal musicians and
twelve batteries; provided that two bat
teries OF each regiment may, in the
discretion of the President, be organ
lied as field artillery, and each
battery that may be so organized shall
have, In addition TO the battery now au-
thorized by law, four corporals, farrers
and l saddler; and provided further that
each OF remaining batteries which are not
organized as field artillery may, in the
discretion of the President, have two ad-
ditional sergeants.
Sec. 8. That all vacancies created or
caused by this act shall be filed by pro-
motion, according TO seniority, from the
next grade in the army, and the existing
provisions of law governing examinations
for promotion shall apply to appointments
made under this act.
''Sec. 4. That this act shall take effect
July IL, 1897, and all laws or parts of laws
in conflict with this act are hereby re-
pealed."