The evening times., 1899-09-08
OFFICERS STILL WAITING
Neglected Volunteers Bitterly In
eensed Against Corbin.
Their Cause Presented to the Presi-
dent by Prominent Senator's and
fcfsed for an Alleged Effort to
Shift Responsibility for the Middle

There are still a large number of mus
tered-out officers in the city who want to
be again mustered into the volunteer serv-
ice, but who have not yet gathered suffi-
cient courage to march to the White House
in body and proclaim their alleged griev-
ances against Adjutant General Corbin.
Since the Presidents return to the city,
he has been seen by about dozen Sena-
tors and other influential men in behalf of
former officers looking for reappointment
to the volunteer service, and many indi-
vidual complaints of General Corbin's al
legged violated pledges have been laid before
Mr.. Mckinley. Senator Beveridge, who
recently returned from the Philippines, it
Is said. laid before the President yesterday
the cases of five or six officers who were
mustered out in the tropics and who think
their experience and record should entitle
them to preference. 1t is also said that Mr..
Mckinley promised to look into the mat
ter.
In no instance, it is said. has the Presi-
dent admitted that he was responsible for
the disappointment of these men. but. on
the contrary, has stated that these mat
ters were in the hands of the Adjutant
General, who was making the selections
under the Secretary of War.
General Corbin's effort to throw the re-
sponsibility for his own misuse OF the ap-
pointing power on the President said a
Representative who was before Mr.. McKin-
ley on this matter yesterday, lis in accord
with Corbin's past course of shifting re-
sponsibility whenever he gets himself in
a serious fix.
Everyone knows that Corbin alone is
responsible fer all the mix-up resulting
from the appointment 10 new volunteer
regiments Of many who never had any
service in the Spanish American war. The
sad results of his recklessness will be seen
when the unframed officers he has recently
appointed endeavor to control their un-
trained men on the firing line in battle.
According to General Corbin, you can take
officers who never had any military ex-
perience, place them in command of men
who never were drilled and in one month
teach them drill-guard duty and rifle prac-
tice.
The majority Of the officers who served
on our side in the Spanish war had never
handled Krag -Jorgensen gun, their men
being armed with Springfield rifle. With
rare exceptions, they never knew anything
about rifle-firing, and consequently these
officers could not and did not instruct their
! men in shooting. Hence 1t will be i'm
! possible for them to instruct their men
with the Krag- -Jorgensen gun. which is en-
| tirely different from the Springfield rife.
| Battles today are won by accurate and
| controlled fire. Corbins system puts men
on the firing line who cannot shoot, under
! officers who do not-know how to control
! their fire. The results will be disastrous.
| The selection of coionels. lieutenant colo
! nels. and majors from the regular army
| will not help matters, as the actual COM
/ manders on the firing line will be the non
commissioned and company officers. This
mistaken policy of Corbin's, who never
! commanded even brigade. will be re-
spcnsible for great losses Of men, who,
| had they been commanded by experienced
officers and time taken to drill them in
firing tactics. would have reflected credit
! on the War Department and the Admin
| istration.
"Ali this rush at the last minute can
only be attributed to General Corbin's anx-
! iety to fill up the places in pursuit of his
own major generals commission.
! Many fine volunteer regiments, with
! over years experience, some in Cuba,
were available for service in the Philip
| piens. But General Corbin advised their
muster out, although rs per cent of them
were willing to go to the Philippines. He
mustered these regiments out because ii
would give him the opportunity. which he
| has vigorously prosecuted. of commission
| ing all the new officers-places to be ped
| died out in the interest of his own personal
I promotion and advancement !"