Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-25
DEPARTMENT OBJECTIONS
Defects Found in the Compromise Army Re-
organization Bill.
Really Important Details which Have
Not Been Properly Provided For
Merits Of the Measure.

A careful examina ton at the War De-
partment Of the proposed compromise army
reorganization bill has revealed several de-
fects, not in matters of broad principle but
In details, which are really important and
even necessary to the maintenance Of the
army. Such, for instance, is the failure to
provide for the continuance of sufficient
number of Quartermasters to carry on the
work OF that department during the war
and also to close up the business when the
war is over, for unlike some of the other
staffs the Quartermaster's work does not
end by any means directly upon the close
of active hostilities. The discovery of these
defects caused Secretary Alger to make a
visit to the Capitol this forenoon to ex-
plain the matter to the managers of the
bill
Upon the whole, although the bill does
not represent the ideals of the officers at
the War Department who have. been for
so many years trying to put the army on
proper footing, still the disposition is to
accept 1t as a tentative measure, in the
hope that further legislation in the future
will be had to correct faults that develop
and add TO the efficiency of the army in a
n amer that cannot now be effected in the
heat of party passion which has been
aroused
Merits of the Measure.
One of the officers who has had leading
part to perform in arranging the comp-o-
mise measure TO-DAY ya said:
This is better bill than the army really
expected to have for many years. Instead
of providing for $50 appointments to frs
and second lieuterancies, as the Hull bill
did, it provides for only 135 second lieu
tenancies.
1T gives the infantry arm a permanent or
ganization on the three battalion basis to
this arm does not go back to the hybrid
organization of two skeleton and two un-
manned companies and two battalions Of
four companies each, the infantry stood
last spring. The minimum strength of each
company and troop will be siXty-hve men
and each battery of artillery eighty men,
yet there is "a flexible provision by which
the strength can be increased at will IN
case of emergency without seeking addi-
tional legislation, and under this authori-
cation the army may be carried forward
from 81 600 to 10 600 in total strength. The
bill also gives three majors TO each regi-
ment instead of two as at present. This
will enable the department to promote TO
majorities a number of most deserving vet
eran captains, who could not be benefited
otherwise in the usual course of promo
tions."
This officer said further, in answer to an
inquiry, that he understood that the Presi-
dent did not intend to appoint any of the
regular officers now in the service to fill
the places in the volunteer branch of the
army except in the case of field officers.
Chairman Hulrs Expectation.
Representative Hull, chairman of the
House military committee, called at the
War Department again this morning. He
said that he believed the compromise bill
would easily pass the Senate, but he did
not feel so sure of its easy passage in the
House.