Washington sentinel., 1899-01-07
The Reorganization OF the United
States Army.
Written for the WASHINGTON SENTINEL by
WEST STEEYER.

introduced into Congress, one en-
titled "For the reorganization O
the Army OF the United States ant
TOR other purposes" the othe
Providing for the reorganization
OF the Army of the United States.
The former was introduced into
the House Of Representatives by
Mr.. Hull. Chairman ofthe Commit
tee on Military Affairs, on Decem-
Der 2, 1898 and this identical bill
was Introduced the next day, by
Senator Hawley, in the Senate,
with the omission of the following
section:
SEC. Is. That staff officers shall be
entitled to pay and allowances accord
ing to the rank held by them under this
Act as now provided by law"
The other bill was introduced
into the Senate by Senator Hawley,
chairman Of the Committee on
Military Affairs, and Iilso chair
man of the Committee on Coast
Defenses of the Senate, on Dec. 7,
1893.
1t has been announced that the
first mentioned bill is fathered by
the Secretary of War and is the
combined wisdom of the officials
Of the War Department, while the
other bill has been carefully pre-.
pared by the Major General COM
manding the United States Army.
AS very bitter opponent to agitat-
ing the question at the present
moment told the writer; "It was
perhaps fortunate tor the country
that there is this clash, as one may
kill the other and that neither
would consequently pass, as both
are equally bad and it would be
difficult to decide which would do
the most harm to the Army if
passed" This though is too an
extreme view, as each has some
redeeming features, as it is pro-
posed now to show.
Civil government by legislation
has been very aptly described by
William Pitt as a system of COM
promise and expediency, and per-
haps no more striking instance of
pursuing the same system in legis-
lating for the government Of the !
army, than is presented by the
careful purusal of these two bills,
as in my opinion each proceeds
altogether from wrong premises,
Both bills are framed from the in
ference that the present army ofthe
United States should be recrgan-
lied post haste, and in this process 4
Of reorganization, largely in
creased. 1.-THE Adjutant Generals
high water estimate was correct,
that under the Acts of Congress
passed at the beginning OF the war
the number Of troops would
reach nearly three hundred thou
sand and that estimating about one
thousand have since died,
been discharged or mustered out,
what is left now with the colors
would seem ample, until the time
ot enlistment had expired, to meet
he exigencies Of the occasion.
Army legislation should be plant
of slow growth. Against this will
always be found the ignorance of
ne civilian who thinks armies can
De made on paper and spring from
he ground armed, organized and
equipped, like the growth OF the
yourd in a night. Then we have
he army officer, who knows better
,ut who allows his brain to be
louded by the craze of rapid pro-
notion.
This is not propitious mo-
nent to reorgsnize the army of the
United States. Before giving my
easons l will proceed to a few ex-
lanatory remarks in the nature Of
preface. The proposition to or a
anize on the basis of the regular {
Establishment, as it existed before {
he recent war, would be a grand
rror. While every other civilized :
alton in the world is trying to get c
loser and closer in touch with the t
eople, we--a Government which c
re claim 10 be OF the people, by
he people, and tor the people
ow propose to organize our army $
n the basis OF getting it as far /
way from the sympathies Of that t
eople as possible. Our own his c
Dry ought to teach US better In ;
he war Of the Revolution, there I
,as not a military organization t
nat did not bear a territorial des- t
ynation. In the war Of 1872 what
ictories we did gain were not won
Y regulars. In the war with Mex l.