The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-25
COMPROMISE ON
REORGANIZATION
Bill Prepared by Senate
Committee.
PROPOSED ARMY INCREASE
PROVISION FOR $4,000 REGU-
LARS, $4,000 VOLUNTEERS.
The Regular Troops to Consist of Ten
Regiments of Cavalry, Seven of
Artillery and Twenty-Five
of Infantry.
PROPOSED ARMY INCREASE
PROVISION FOR $4,000 REGU-
LARS, $4,000 VOLUNTEERS.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.-The Sen
ate Committee on Military Affairs re-
ported the compromise army reorgan-
ization bill just before the adjournment
of the Senate at $50 p. m. The bill
had been framed at the War Depart
ment last night by the officials of that
department and a number of Senators,
and was under consideration by the
Senate Committee and it's sub commit
tee during the greater part of the day.
The formulation of the compromise
was placed in the hands of Senators
Hawley and Carter Cf the Military
Committee, on behalf of the Repub
licans, and Senator Cockre!l in the in
terests of the Democrats. They met at
10 o'clock to-day and continued quite
constantly in session. Colonel Carter
of the army sat with them for the pur-
pose of supplying technical informa
ton. The subcommittee had it in
charge until 4:30 o'clock, when the full
committee met. The committee made
a number of changes and after sitting
of two hours reported the bill to the
Senate.
The bill as reported differs in many
details from the bill read in the House
work is the same. In the new bill one
section covers the entire increase of
the army, and it reads as follows:
That to meet the present exigencies of
the military service the President is here
by authorized to maintain the regular
army at strength not exceeding 5000
enlisted men, to be distributed among the
several branches of the service according
to the needs of each, and to raise force
of not more than $500 volunteer infantry,
! hcy n for inc .
large under general law, or from the To-
calities where their services may be re-
quired, with regard to cltlzenship or eoo
Vocational qualifications, and to form the
same into not more than thirty regiments,
organized as infantry regiments OF war
strength in the regular army.
Provided, further, that each regiment
shall have one surgeon with the rank of
major; two assistant surgeons: one OF
and one that of first lieutenant, and three
hospital stewards. Provided, that such
increase in the regular and volunteer
! forces shall continue in service only dur
! ing the necessity therefor, and not later
| than July 1, 1901.
The allotment of major and brigadier
generals is as follows:
That the President shall have power to
continue in service or to appoint by ana
with the advice and consent or the sen
ate briga6ier generals of volunteers VINO,
including the brigadier generals of the
regular army shall not exceed one for
every 1000 enlisted men actually in ser
vice; and major generals OF volunteers
who, including the major generals OF the
regular army, shall not exceed one TOT
| every 1900 enlisted men.
Provided, that regular army officers
| continued or appointed as general OIL
| GERS or as field or staff officers of volun-
teers under the provisions of this act,
shall not vacate their regular army COM
missions; and provided. further, that no
| visions of this section shall be continued
in service as such beyond July l, 1901.
Section / provides that the regular
army shall consist of three major gen.
erals, six brigadier generals, ten regi-
ments of cavalry, seven regiments of
artillery, twenty-five regiments OF in
fantry.
In the cavalry organization, each reg
iment consists of twelve troops, organ
lied into three squadrons of four troops
each. The artillery regiments are fixed
at fourteen batteries, of which two may
be organized as field artillery.
Two veterinarians are allowed to
each regiment of cavalry. In the case
of artillery, the number of privates in
a battery of heavy artillery is fixed at
"a minimum of f1fty-two," and of light
artillery at a minimum of fifty-one."
The same word is used in fixing the
strength of the regiments, giving each
infantry company minimum Of
forty-eight privates."
The infantry regiments are fixed at
twelve companies, organized into the
three battalion formation.
The adjutant generals and inspector
generals departments are to consist of
the number of officers now in these de-
partments respectively, with a provi-
sion that captains of the line who have
shown marked aptitude in the COM
mand of troops shall be entitled to COM
pete for staff appointments.
The Senate amendment to the Hull
Hawley bill, increasing the number of
cadets to 100, is retained.
The judge advocate. quartermaster,
subsistence. medical, pay, ordnance, en-
cheering and signal corps departments
shall consist of the officers and enlisted