Evening star., 1898-12-24

that an organization on the basis of 49,
which would give us but 112 priyates is
more efficient in actual service than one
or I2 pr1vates, as proposed in the Senate
bill. The largely increased number of regi-
ments which would be made necessary by
the reduced number of prvates would en-
tail an increased expense each year on the
government for officers and would mater
tally impair the effectiveness of companies
and regiments on the line of battle. Gen.
eral Sherman in his report to the War De-
partment in 1876, after a full study of the
armies of Europe and after he had seen
their operation on the field of battle. recon-
mended company of 80 enlisted men in
time of war, and further stated that We
could count on one-third of the men being
absent from duty in an army serving in the
field.
General Schwan said that after twenty
one years service as a line officer he re-
garded 145 men the best organization.
General Miles in his testimony before
the committee recommended 100 enlisted
men.
THE organization provided for in this
bill gives as a maximum smaller regiment
than is the minimum of the leading nations
THE committee inserted new section in
regard to the record and pension office, he
Iieving that the present chief of that office
has, by his wonderfully efficient services,
made it only proper for him to have the
rank of brigadier general. His administra-
tion of the office has resulted in a saving to
the government of over 100000 a year IN
clerk hire alone.
1.-The committee has placed in the bill GER
tain limitations as to age. The government
retires an officer at sixty-four on three
quarters pay. If men are placed in the
army ct an advanced age they render the
government absolutely no adequate service
for the obligations the government assumes
to care for them during life.
The question of how long a man should
serve before being retired was one the COM
mlttee was not at all agreed upon, but a
compromise was finally placed in the bill
limiting appointments to those not over
fifty years of age.
"The retired list should rot be used as an
asylum for men who have spent their ac-
tive life in civil employment. An exception
was made in new section eXempting all
the staff corps now open to appointment
from civil life from the operation of the
age limit, all men who served in the civil
war and the recent war with Spain. The
reasons for the Incorporation in the bill of
section is found in the following submit
tee by an officer from the War Depart
ment:
have made a calcula ton that the bill
prepared, provided all promotion in each
arm is by seniority in each arm respect
lively. would give the following results as
regards promotion to captain: In the in
fantry all the present first lieutenants and
sixteen second lieutenants: in the artillery
all the present first lieutenants and forty
two second heutenantS; total for infantry
and artillery, fifty-eight. In the cavalry,
fifty-seven of the present first lieutenants
would be left such. The scheme to equal
ize promotion to captaincy would therefore
give ftty-seven captaincies in the artillery
and infantry to the fifty-seven remaining
first lieutenants of cavalry. All the first
lieutenants in each arm would be captains,
and all the second lieutenants in each arm
would become first lieutenants. leaving the
vacancies at the foot of list of first lieuten-
ants and all the second lieutenants to be
filled by promotion from the ranks, from
the volunteers and from civil life"
The official estimate of the cost of the
army under the organization proposed in
the bill Chairman Hull states is about s90-
600 600