The evening times., 1900-03-16
REJECTED BY Mr.. ROOT
UnfaVOrable Report Upon a Senate
Army Bill.
Reasons for Disapproyiag the
Transfer of Volunteer Officers OF
the Line to Departments without
minatiOn-SpeciaI Legislation
Making Exceptions Not Desirable.

The Secretary OF War has transmitted "a
/ the House Committee on Military Affairs
the following communication from the Ad-
jutant General OF the army:
Il have the honor to return herewith
( Senate bill 29%4 10 authorize the Presiden.
TO transfer to the Adiutant Generals De
partment or the Inspector Generals De
partment, without examination such Of
| fcers of the line. not TO exceed two in each
department, as are now serving in said
department in the volunteer army. etc.
and providing that hereafter only those
officers of the line who have served az least
thirteen years therein shall be considered
eligible for apDointm into either Of the
two departments named.
The act of August 6. making appropria-
tiOns for the Army. provides that hereafter
all appoint ments to fill vaeaEcies in the
lowest grade in the Adjutant Generals the
Inspector Generals . department
respectively, shall be made from the next
lowest (lowerl grade in the line of the
Army. Section of the act of March =.
1899. for increasing the efficiency of the
Army. etc. provides that the Adiutani
Generals and Inspector Generals depart
ments shall consist OF the number of Off
GERS now in those departments respective
". provided that vacancies in the grade
OF major occurring in either department
shall hereafter be filled from captains in the
line OF the Army, and provided further
that all such captains who have evinced
marked aptitude in the command of troops
shall be reported by their regimental com
manders to the War Department and shall
be entitled to compete for any such vacancy
under such system of examination as the
President may prescribe
No
islation making exceptions TO the proyis-
ions OF these laws at this time No rea-
son is seen why officers of the line vino
have been appointed or detailed for duty
as assistant adlutantS general Of v1Iunt-
GERS or inspectors of volunteers should be
given preference over captains who nave
eyinced marked aptitude in The command
OF troops for appointment in either OF
these staff departments. The act of March
2 1899. above quoted provides that va
cancies shall be filled on competitive ex,
animation by captains who have evinced
this aptitude. IL must be assumed that
there are many captains of the line we'll
qualified to perform duty in the Adjutaut
Generals and Inspector Generals depart
ments. and it cannot be asserted that all
captains who are so qualified or best quail
iied. received volunteer appointments in
those departments. The proviso in The
bill limiting appointments in these two
departments to officers of the line who
have served at least thirteen years there
in is not recommended.
"The competitive examination prescrib-
ed by law is intended to secure the ap-
pointment of candidates best qualified, and
if exceptions should be made to this rule
it would evidently be in the interest OF
individuals not of the service. Favorable
action on this bill is not recommended.
The following report on the bill has
been received by the committee from the
Inspector General:
Respectfully returned to the Secretary
OF War The proposed bill would be mani
festly unfair to many deserving officers.
The act of March g 1899. was intended to
give all available officers an equal chance,
and to select those best fitted for appoint
ment. which Is a policy evidently beueh-
cial to the public service. The whole ten
dency of Army legislation for some years
has been to require examination before ap-
pointment and promotion. and this is now
legally established as the proper method
to enter these important branches of the
military service; and a departure from
this, in exceptional cases, would be an un-
fortunate precedent The passage tf this
bill is not recommended"
The committee accepts the opinion OF
the War Department and recommends that
the bill shall not be passed.