New-York tribune., 1900-11-30
Mr.. ROOTS ARMY BILL
THE SECRETARY OF WAR EXPLAINS
HIS PLAN
IT PROVIDES FOR A MINIMUM FORCE OF
5sa24 MEN AND a MAXIMUM
OF eS 7ss

Washington Nov. 29-The House Committee
! on Military Affairs tonight made public letter
received from Secretary Root under date Of No.
vennber oS transmitting a draft of a bill pre-
pared by the War Department for the reorgani-
cation Of the Army The letter says that the
Army as at present organized under the present
law will cease TO exist on July J. 1901 and there
after will consist Of a total enlisted strength Of
% 025 men Without further legislation he says
the volunteers now in the service must be dis
charged on July / 1901. and the Regular Army
reduced from 65OO0 to %. .025 men. Continuing
I the letter says
Without leaving much if any. margin for sick
ness. such as the campaigns Of the last two
years warn us must be counted an important
factor in any occupation by the Army, peaceful
or Warlke, Of many OF the islands which consti-
/ tute the Philippine group. the strength thus
fixed must prove utterly Inadequate leaving out
II consideration the service in the United States
IN Porto REQ and, for the time being in the
island OF Cuba
The Army IS confronted with many serious
problems. the solution Of which demands not
Only lnteIlsence and wisdom, but showing Of
Wei organized force in the new possessions The
history Of our Indian wars is repIete with in
cidentS showing the futility of sending an in
adequate force 10 bring into subjection hostile
natives. such as those occupying the Philippine
isIancS. 1t is presumed under these conditions
that Congress will provide suf7cien+ number
of men TO care for the coast defence fortifca-
lions; 10 provide garrisons for the more or less
permanent posts on the Canadian and Mexican
country small garrisons in Porto Rico and Cuba
and a sufficient force in the Philippine Islands
10 restore order and establish peaceful and
slaoie conditions of government.
NUMBER OF REGIMENTS INCREASED
In the preparation OF the present bill the
minimum number Of men is fixed for each or
Ganlzation with q proYiso that the President
may. in his discretion, increase the number of
enlisted men in any troop, battery or company
provided mat the total number of enlisted men
authorized for the Army by Congress shall not
al any time be exceeded. BY the adoption Of
this plan the absolute fixed strength of the
any increase Of numbers above the minimum
VIII be limited by such authority may be
conveyed from time TO time by the Congress.
The peace strength Of each troop, battery and
company is fixed in this bill authorized
oy existing law The number Of regiments has
oeen increased by five of cavalry, five Of IN
fantry. numbers which would correspond 10 five
regiments of artillery and two battalions Of
engineers. AS the increase in the artillery is
intended for the seacoast defences the only In
crease Of the Regular Army for field service will
be ten additional regiments Of cavalry and in
fantry and the two battalons Of engineers. An
thorty is asked in this bill to raise provisional
force of natives in the island Of Porto Rico and
also in the Philippine Islands. The organization
OF the native troops in the Philippine Islands
VIII, under the peculiar conditions existing there
be proceeded with slowly and with great care.
The bill contains provisions for better dis
tribution Of chapains. for authorizing veterans
Of the war with Spain to wear. on occasions Of
ceremony their uniforms. similar TO the au-
thority given by Congress to veterans of the
Civil War; authority for the retirement with an
increased grade of veterans Of the two vars
the Ciyil War and the war with Spain; for the
addition Of a nurse corps the necessity for
which has been developed during the last two
nShment Of camps for the militia and Regular
Army. authorizing the President to appoint
chiefs 10 vacancies occurring in the staff corps
aIc departments from the Army at large, and
the Introduction Of the detail system TO several
OF the staff corps and departments.
MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM FORCES
To replace the volunteers and Regulars who
will be discharged prior 10 July J. and give an
army OF sufficient size TO meet the exigencies
now confronting H. or such may hereafter
occur. provision has been made so that the
President may increase the number of enlisted
men without the creation Of new organiza tons
The bill provides for a minimum and maximum
organization as follows:
Fifteen regiments Of cavalry sn3 each ia 045 Is 525
Artillery corps. so field. 12e is a20 1880
Three battaors of engineers and Band. ioSt I9s4
eus-ss 2or st3s o'gail:@e2as 9as s including
taohment non-conlnss.oned stan
Totals bs924 e6 7e6
The Porto Rico regiment, when recruited to
three battalons, Will have minimum strength
OF oio ana maximum Of l,S36 enlisted men.
AN EXPENSIVE EXPERIMENT.
Under the act Of March . 1899 authorizing
a force or $4,000 volunteers one regiment of
cavalry, twenty-four regiments OF infantry and
TWO battaltons Of Porto Rico tr0ops were en-
listed The experience Of the Department in
placing Regular officers at the head Of these
regiments and causing them to be enlisted and
drilled under a number Of experienced officers
mas peeh most satisfactory in putting into the
field thoroughly good and serviceable organiZa-
tons III remarkably short time but the ex-
pertinent has been most expensive one for the !
country, compared 10 what would have been |
the case had the same number of troops been |
raised for three years service as Regulars. This
r1a ,,Fc d
ing these regiments many thousand miles away !
from home for a short term of service, during |
which the allowances are much greater than |
would be the case II their service extended over |
three years.
The necessity for returning them home for dis |
charge on July !, 1907, makes the average cost |
that Of Regulars enlisted in the ordinary way |
for three years The regiments were placed in /
camps, which had 10 be hired for the purpose |
and they drew their first years clothing and |
allowances, which are very much larger than for |
any other year: whereas they Will render only |
an average Of one and one-half years active |
service. Estimates nave been prepared as to the |
excess of cost Of such a body Of volunteers rem |.
1erinG from one and one half to two years ser
enlisted for three years service. and the total
estimate Of the various supply departments /
shows the excess to be S16,374O09. 1t will, |
therefore,, be seen that II will be more economi- |
al to obtain the Increased strength OF the Army
'equtred at the present time, as provided under |
he bill submitted herewith. than will be the |
:ase II more volunteer regiments are raised
NEED OF A REGULAR FORCE.
For short terms of service and during war |
when large numbers of men are required the |
country must always rely, as It has done in the |
past, upon the volunteer soldier; but the con- |
Iitiors now confronting the Department demand !
hat II shall have at hand a sufficient number of |
.eguar regiments Ia furnish the garrisons and |
perform the work now required Of the Army |
The number Of regiments must be sufficient TO /
.nabIe the Department to relieve regiments /
rom time to time from duty outside the United |