The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-22
How the Proposed Law For an
Increase Will Work.
Only Increase in Time of Peace
is By
TWENTY-FIVE MAJORS
But the War Footing Would Be
763 New Officers
And 100000 Men and Officers
All Told.

Washington, March 22.-The most i'm
portant action yet taken in the war de-
partment is the perfection of plan for
placing the army on a war footing. The
scheme was presented to the house and
senate naval committees in the form of
a bill contemplating the reorganization of
the infantry.
1t was the result of a session at the
White House at which the president, Cen
eral Miles and Adjutant General Corbin of
the army participated.
The proposition does not materially af-
feet the infantry in time of peace. the
only change being the addition of one
major to each regiment. or twenty-five adj
diuOnal officers of that rank, involving
an extra expense in the way of yearly
salary of SS7 500.
The changes suggested will place the
army in the condition suggested by the
best and most modern military systems.
In time of peace there would be $40 Of
hcers and "A, 430 men in the army, prac-
ttcally the strength of the personnel to-
day.
In time of war it is so arranged that
the number of officers would be in
creased to 2,348, and the number of men
i6 500 for artillery and 1900 for infantry.
Representative John A T. Hull of Iowa,
chairman of the committee on military
affairs, who introduced the bill reorgan-
izing the army on a three battalion sys-
TEN, had this to say about his measure:
This measure is the result of great
labor and much thought. 1t has the APP
prevail of the president and of the war de-
partment and it will be passed. 1t gives
the army a system which will permit ex-
pAlASAb4L ~ 4Ot,VoV men Will very AllLlC 0G-
lay and without much increased cost.
In time of peace but Is additional ma
jors are provided for, the number of men
remaining the same as at present; but in
time of war there will be 763 additional Of
and the companies which now consist of
about 81 men, or 100 on a war basis, will
be increased to go; With this increase
the captains viii be mounted and the
majors viii each command 900 men.
In brief, my plan is to slzeletonize the
of war may unite with the regular troops
under trained and experienced officers
This new force would soon be thoroughly
drilled, and we would not be handicap
ped by having green officers to command
them. The 1853 officers, additona! in time
of war, would include the % majors. one
lieutenant for each company of infantry
and cavalry and two for each company
of artillery. The 20 majors would be
necessary on peace footing, while the
others would not and the additional cost
to the government in army pay would be
SS7,5O0. The increased cost of 73S addi-
tional officers, on war basis. would be
'',The enlistment of IS, 954 additional men
would be equivalent to S. regiments of
ments of volunteers under our present
system would take 2 $50 additional officers
costing 81 92S. 900. Therefore this reorgan-
ization bill saves So $4,000 year.
9li IS 1FdW N "a RI lTe iLilTs OF tba
eompanies Should be increased to 200 men
I began working on it several months
ago and came to the conclusion that the
unit should be $50 men. The details were
jutant generals office, General Corbin
rendering very valuable assistance. As
the measure stands it has the approval
of Secretary Alger and every officer in
the army that knows anything of its pro-
visions.
before introducing the measure I took
it to the White House and secured the
presidents approval. Secretary Alger
has written a long letter favoring it,
Il believe that Speaker Reed is in favor
of increasing the army, even in time OF
peace, and 1 am sure this bin will be
passed through the house at an early
day AS to the action of the senate
cannot say, but I think it will be favor
ably considered there.
This proposed reorganization will eX-
pedite the raising of troops in war times.
The additional men can be recruited in
two days, though it may take a little
longer than that to muster them in.
"Our present law permits the calling OF
the national guard into the army, but the
systems of the two organizations do not
agree That of the guard is the three
battalion system That of the army IS
quite obsolete. China and the United
States are the two nations of any import
ance that have this old system, while
that proposed is employed in Germany
and France most satisfactorily"