The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-13
SHOULD BE MUSTERED OUT
ARE SERVING AT PERSONAL
SACRIFICE.
Favors an Immediate Increase of the
Regular Army and More Pay
for Commissioned
Officers.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-Adjutant
General Corbin has made his annual re-
port to the Secretary of War 1t con-
tains much of statistical nature about
the armies of the United States, includ
ing the regular and volunteer branches.
Discussing the volunteer army General
Corbin says:
Since the signing of the protocol the
officers and men Of the volunteer regi-
mentS have remained at their posts OF
duty, in most cases. at great, personal
sacrifice. That they have done this cheer
fully and without complaint makes 1t all
the more desirable that a speedy Increase
of the regular army be provided for IN
order that the volunteers may be released
from further service and be allowed to
return to their peaceful vocations.
General Corbin has the following to
say concerning the increase of the reg
ular army:
The Organization of the cavalry, artil;
lery and infantry regiments has stood
the test of trial in battle and received
the approval of those in command, SO
that the increase of the line of the army,
be by the additions of the necessary num-
Der of regiments, organized as are those
now in service. The number OF othcerS
should be increased by one first lieutenant
to each troop, battery and company. This
would enable the department to meet the
demands to various details required by
law anu lIl0l IcdNG the llOOPo viii hi1O
necessary number OF officers for their
proper discipline and instruction, and in
war allow the appointment OF Sufhclent
generals and general stan off1cers without
destroying the efficiency Of the army, as
threatened by the recent experiment. or
the department. The number OF trained
officers as herein provided for at the be-
ginning of the present war would have
saved lives and treasure, to say nothing
of the increased efficiency Of the service.
AT the beginning Of the present war
some 400 officers were appointed to the
staff of volunteer regiments. With these
and the aids to the generals and officers
on other duty absolutely required for the
conduct of the war absent from their COM
mands, the regiments were sent to battle
with scarcely more than one officer to
the company,
1t is difficult now, what with the sick
and wounded officers, for the department
to get one officer to the company, and
too frequently there have been two COM
panies with but one officer. The increase
proposed would in no way give a greater
number of officers than required.
Officers serving in the West Indies and
Philippines will, as a rule, be separated
from their families. and their living ex-
recommended that all officers below the
rank of major, while so serving, shall
have the pay and allowances Of the next
higher grade.
General Corbin recommends that the
men of the National Guard who entered
the volunteer army be allowed to re-
turn and be readmitted to their State
organizations.
His advice to those who control the
National Guard is that, at the yearly
State encampments, the men be made
dependent for their subsistence on the
army ration to be furnished by the
State authorities on ration returns and
to be cooked by the troops in precisely
the same manner as in actual service
in the field. This would give them the
same self-reliance which characterizes
the regular soldier on active duty.
General Corbin also recommends an
increase in the pay of non-commis-
stoned officers.