The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-12-08
PLANS FOR THE ARMY /.
News Laws Proposed by Secretary of
War Root for Its Reor-
gnuizatioA.

Washington. Dec. I-Secrctary Roots
army bill provides for a lieutenant general.
six major generals and 10 brigadier gen.
erals. The number of captains, first lieu
tenants and second lieutenants of the cav
airy and infantry, are increased from u
TO 10 for each regiment. Three OF the cap
tains shall be available for detail as ad-
jutant, quartermaster and commissary;
three first lieutenants for squadron and
battalion adtutants. and three second feu-
tenants for squadron quartermasters and
commissary. ttHa
Provision for the discontinuance OF the
artillery arm as at present organized is
made by organizing an artillery corps
known as coast artillery and field artillery.
Omcers OF artillery are to be placed on one
list for promotion according to seniority.
The corps will have chief of artillery de-
tailed from the colonies. and while serving
In this capacity Will have the rank and pay
OF brigadier general. There will be in
addition 10 colonies; 10 lieutenant colonies,
~ majors. 1872 captains. 1913 first lieutenants
and ls2 second lieutenants. The captains
and lieutenants when not required for duty
with batteries will be available as stan
oincers during garrison. Each battery OF
coast and field artillery shall be organized
as at present. The increases in the artillery
snail be 20 per cene each year for five years
until the maximum of 1890 men is reached.
The adjutant general will have the rank
OF major general and his corps is increased
one lieutenant colonel and ten ma jors The
inspector generals department Is increased
one lieutenant colonel and six ma jors. The
judge advocates department Is increased
one colonel and three majors. The quar-
termaster's department is increased two
colonies. one lieutenant colonel. four ma
Jors and "a captains. To fill the grade of
captains volunteers not over SO years old
may be appointed. The subsistence depart
ment is increased one colonel. one lieuten-
ant colonel, one major and 10 captains. The
medical department Is increased two colo
nels, two lieutenant colonies, ten majors,
Ill captains and first lieutenants The pay
department Is increased one colonel. one
lieutenant colonel. and the number of ma
jors is fixed at nine instead of 20 as at pres
ent, with q captains The majors In the
pay department at present will hold that
rank. but no promotions are to be made
until the number of ma jors Is reduced be-
low nine. To fill the vacancies OF captains
men serving as additional paymasters not
over 40 years may be selected. The en-
gineer corps is increased five captains. II
first lieutenants and q second lieutenants.
Promotions are to be made by seniority
and vacancies are to be filled from the reg
ular army. The ordnance bureau Is In
creased one lieutenant colonel and seven
first lieutenants. The signal corps is in
creased two majors. four captains, nine
emergency the president is authorized to
continue for duty in the Philippines ten
first lieutenants and ten second lieutenants
as volunteer signal officers.
All the promotions in the stan created
under the act are to be made from the
present staff corps, and when vacancies
occur by retirement or otherwise the pro-
motions shall be made by seniority. Va
cancies that cannosb be filled by such promo
tions are to be filled by detail from the line
of the army, the details lasting four years.
after which the officer shall not be avail
able for staff duty until he has served two
years in the line. The provision for filling
vacancies at the head of various staff corps
is as follows:
"That upon the occurrence of vacancy
in the office of adjutant general, inspector
general Judge advocate general. quarter
master general. commissary general. pay
master general. chief of ordnance or chief
signal officer the president may appoint
the chief of any of said departments or
corps from the officers Of the army at large
not below the grade of lieutenant colonel.
Provided. that chiefs of staff corps or de-
partments shall be appointed for terms to
continue four years. unless sooner termin-
ated by the president, and while so serv-
ing shall have the rank, pay and allow
ances now authorized for chiefs OF said
corps or departments. And provided, that
when any officer serving a detail as chief
of a staff, corps or department Is retired.
he shall be retired with rank and pay now
authorized for the chief of such staff corps
or department"
1t is provided also that officers below the
grade of Lieutenant colonel in any of the
above named departments shall serve one
year in the line. but shall not lose their
places in the staff corps.
The above quoted provision Is one of the
most important and radical of the changes
proposed by the bill. 1t amounts. in effect.
to the abolition of the staff corps as a per-
manent institution In which officers now
serve throughout their military career
The proposition that line officers should be
appointed to do STAFF duty for a definite
period and. at the conclusion OF that term,
return again to the line, has been siren
uously advocated by many of the best mil
ltary authorities In this country for years.
1T is pet idea of Former Secretary of War
Proctor. now one of the members of the
senate committee on military affairs. Ac-
cording to the provision, Is II now stands
the full effect of II will not be worked out
for several years, as II is not proposed TO
make the provision. IL 1t should be enacted
into law. applicable to present members
of the staff corps above the rank of lieu
tenant colonel
she provision for the filling Of vacancies
that may occur by reason of the increas sc
of officers under the proposed act is as fol-
lows:
THAT vacancies In the grade OF field off,
GERS and captain, created by this act. In
the cavalry, artillery and infantry shall
be filled by promotion according to senior
ity in each branch. respectively"
Provision is made for the retirement of
any officer who has been suspended from
duty. This would apply to Gen. Eagan,
commissary general.
The president is authorized to enlist and
organize natives OF the Philippine islands
in organizations similar to the cavalry and
infantry to the number of 1900, the off,
GERS for such organization to be selecte d
from the regular army. The highest off,
GERS In command of the natives shall be
majors. When natives by their service and
character show fitness for command 'he
president is authorized to make provisional,
appointments In the grade OF second ami
first lieutenants. A regiment of Porto
Ricans also is authorized.
Monument to Hobart.