The times., 1899-03-07
ARMY REORGANIZATION.
otis and shaftcr Major Generals of
Volunteers.

As a result OF conference at the Whit
| House yesterday afternoon betweeR Presi-
| dent Mckinley and Secretary A'ger 1t was
determined that the Army Reorganization
act gave authority for the appo ntmenl o,
only two additional major generals in
stead of five. in view OF the dscis on OF
| the Government not to raise the volunteer
| force of 81, ,000 men until the regu ar amy
was increased to it's full strength o.
| $1,000. There is no question as TO the right
of the President to appoint five additiona!
| major generals when the army has osen
| recruited to the maximum strength au-
| thoriZed by the act-1O0.500 men-but the
| act is SO worded that the President snd
| Secretary of War were OF the opinion
| that the other three major generals could
not be appointed until the 5000 vo.un-
| teers had been raised. Acting in accord
ance with this construction OF the law,
| the President selected two officers to fl |
the vacancies created. They are Mai. Gen.
Elwell S. Otis, United States Volunteers.
| brigadier general United States Army, in
command of troops in the Philippines, and
| Mai. Gen. W. K. Shafter. United States
Volunteers. brigadier general. United
States Regular Army, in command of the
| Department of California.
| When Secretary Algef went TO the White
7
! general officers from which, the selections
OF the new major generals were to be made.
/ The names on the list were those OF Gen.
erals Otis and SEafter, Maj. Cen James II.
| Wilson. commanding the Department of
Matanzas; Mai. Gen. FitZhugh Lee, COM
| manding the Department Of Havana Pro-
! vince; Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler, unas-
signed; Maj. Gen. Henry W. Lawton. now
en- route to the Philippines; Maj. Gen. Alb
ner Chaffee, now at Havana. and Maj. Gen.
| Leonard Wood, commanding the Depart
ment of Santiago. All these officers are
major generals by virtue OF commissions
in the volunteer service. Wilson. Lee, and
| Wheeler were appointed from civil life. The
others were in the regular army.
1t was at first believed that only three
OF these eight officers would not receive
commissions as major generals under the
new law, but when the President and Sec
retary reached the conclusion that they
had authority to appoint two major gen.
erals the only considerable difficulty was
experienced in making the selections. The
difficulty was adjusted by taking the two
senior officers on the list. The selections
OF the officers mentioned will not be an
nounced until the Attorney General has
rendered an opinion on the question OF
whether it is necessary 10 reappoint them
or merely continue them in service under
their present commissions in the volunteer
army.
1t is regarded as certain that Generals
Wilson, Lee, and Wheeler. Ludlow. Chat
fee. and Wood will receive appointments
as brigadier generals under the new law
and three of them will be advanced to the
rank of major general if the President de-
termines to enlist the 50, 900 volunteers au-
thorized. There are three major generals
of the regular establishment. Miles, Mer-
ritt, and Brooke, and according TO the law
no more major generals shall be appointed
until the army is increased beyond 36.0ol
enlisted men, or, as the Administration has
construed it, until it is determined to sc
increase the enlisted force. Plans for put
ting the reorganization act into effect were
discussed at the White House conference
but the only decision reached was that the
regular army should be recruited to the
maximum strength authorized by law.
The question of dividing the army int
three corps. one each of infantry. cavalry
and artillery, was discussed also. but
decision on the subject was postponed unit
further information can be secured II
accordance with one of the provisions o
the act. the President will authorize tn,
re-enlistment for six months of those vol
unteer soldiers now serving in the Philip
pines. If any of these volunteers desire L
join the regulars they will be accommo
dated and given discharges from their Stat
organizations.