The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-20
THE NEW ARMY BILL.


the rank Of major twenty instead Of
twenty-five with the rank of captain. The
grades of assistant paymaster and deputy
paymaster are stricken out
In the signal Corps there is 10 be only
one colonel three majors and nine Instead
Of nineteen. rneh o. captains and hrst
licutenauts
The Senate bill provides only for the
apponfment Of volunteer officers 70 the
grade OF second Heutenans Ia the regular
army The heads OF the Ordnance De
par,ment and OF the signal corps are TO
be hrigadiers
Tho maximum strength is fixed in the
following provision az the close Of the
bin:
That when len his opinion tho condition
tn the philipp Ne Islands justify such ac-
tion the President Is au horized TO onlss
natives o. those islands for service in the
army 20 be organized as scouts. with such
officers as he shall deem necessary for
their proper control. or as troops or COM
uauie- as author zed hy this act for che
regular army The President Is further
authorized. in his discretion. 10 form com
panies organized AZ are companies Of the
regular army. Ia squadrOus or hattaliOns.
with ofdcers and non-commissioned on
GERS corresponding 20 similar organizations
iu the cavalry ana infantry arms. The
total number OF enlisted men n said ma
tive organizations shall not exceed l2@o.
and the total enlisted force Of tho line OF
the army. together with such native force
shall noe exceed az any time looGo."
The field officers Tor the native troops
are an 90 boz Americans for the present.
hut whenever thc FihplnOs show fitness
/ for command the President o. authorized
I 20 make provisional selections from among
them for the grades Of first and second
I lieuteunnts
native regiment Of Porto Rlcans also
{ is authorized
Following are the provision OF the new
/ bin.
.'That 10 ON vacancies occurring from
/ time 10 time la the several organizations
| serving without the limits Of the United
States with trained men. the President Is
authorized 20 enlist recruits in numbers
equal TO four per cent. IN excess OF the
total strength authorized for such organ
izations.
THAT the President Is authorized to
maintain the enlisted force Of the several
organizations OF the army at their maxi
mum strength as fixed by this act during
the present exigencies OF the service or
until such time as Congress may hereaf-
ter direct.
THAT nothing IN this oct shah be hold
or construed 50 as 90 discharge any OFF,
Ger from the regular army or 20 deprive
him Of the commission which he now
holds therein a"
The medical department provision Is tho
same az that OF the House bill. except a
slight change as 10 qualifications for head
nurse.
The provision in tho House I'm regard
ing stan promotion Is changed ana OK
tended so as to read as follows:
That SO dong as there remains any
officer holding permanent appointment
in the adlutant generals department, the
Inspector generals department the quar-
termastcr's department the subsistence
department. the pay department the ord
nance department and the Signal CORPS
they shall be promoted according to SEMI
ority IN the several grades as now pho-
Viied hy law. and nothing herein contain
ed shall be deemed 10 apply 20 vacancies
which can be Allied by such promot ions
or 10 the periods Tor which the officers
so promoted shall hold their appointments
and when any vacancy. except that OF
the chief Of the department or corps shall
occur. Il shall be filled by detail from the
line OF the army ana no more permanent
appointments shall he made IN those de-
partments or corps. Such details shall be
made from the grade ~ which the va
cancles exist. under such system Of cx-
amina lion AZ IL now prescribed by law or
a. the President may from time 70 time
prescribe
IAN onicers 50 detailed shall serve Tor
period OF four years unless sooner re-
leved at the expiration OF which time
they shall return to duty with the line
and officers below the rank 81 Lieutenant
colonel shall not again be eligible for ~
lection IN either stan department until
they shall serve two years with the line"