New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-21
ARMY REFORM BILL EXPLAINED.
LETTER SENT BY SECRETARY ROOT TO
MILITARY COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.


MILITARY COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.
Washington, Feb. 20 (SpeciaD.-seoretary
Roots own explanation of the Army Reform
bill sent to the military committee of Con-
gress yesterday is given in the following let
ter which accompanied the proposition:
War Department
Washington, February 10, 1900.
Sir: In pursuance of your request, l nave
the honor to transmit herewith a bill Ito in
crease the efficiency Of the military estab-
lishment of the United States" This bill is
designed to correct some recognized defects OF
the present system, and to increase the artillery
branch of the service. The bill provides;
First-For proportion of the promotions IN
the line by selections, so that specially merl-
torious and gallant services OF officers during
war and otherwise may be recognized, ana their
services be made available in higher grades
Second-To provide officers for duty In the
Adjutant- Generals Department and Inspector
Generals Department by detail, and system
of rotation which will gradually educate num-
Der Of selected officers in the duties or all
branches of the service This will in time pro-
vide considerable body Of officers capable OF
exercising command and performing the higher
duty Of chiefs of staff during war.
Third-PrOvisiOn is made for filling future va
cancies in the Quartermaster's Department, the
Subsistence Department, the Ordnance Depart
ment and the Signal Corps by detail from the
line, and for rotations in duties between line and
staff but not to the extent as with the
officers selected for duties in the Adjutant-Gen-
erals Department and Inspector-GeneraPs De-
partment.
Fourth-The bill provides for detailing chiefs
of staff corps and departments from the Army
at large for terms of four years, and authorizes
the President. within his discretion. to retire
any of the present chiefs holding permanent APP
pointments. AS officers now holding commits
sions in the staff corps and departments have
lost their rank in the line and will be deprived
of all opportunity of reaching a grade above
colonel, in order to put them on footing eQulva-
lent to that of line officers, provision Is mace
for retirement with increased rank Of such OF
these officers may be selected as chlefs OF
staff corps or departments.
Fifth-The bill diScOntinueS the present regl-
mental organization of artillery and establishes
this arm of the service as the Corps of Artillery,
consisting of two distinct branches-the field ar
tillery and the coast artillery. gradual in
Of this arm is provided, so that at the eX
piration of five years there will be authorized a
total Of not quite eighteen thousand men 1t is
not how the expensive seacoast equipment
can be cared for by a smaller number than
recommended. The increase is not quite SO large
as has been heretofore recommended, but II IS
believed that this will meet the requirements in
the immediate future.
1t Is the design of this bill to provide for
improvements in organization irrespective of
such action as Congress may hereafter see fit
to take regarding the size of the Army, ana
Section Is accordingly provides that the increase
in the artillery force shall not cause the num-
Der of enlisted men in the Regular Army at any
time TO exceed the number which now is or may
hereafter be allowed by law. The total NUMBER
now in the artillery of the service is about
eleven thousand. The total number under this
bill would ultimately be not quite eighteen
thousand The increase of about SiXty-hve hun
dred to be made in five years would be
about thirteen hundred year; but under the
provision prohibiting the '"c.r Of the Army
above tie aggregate allow ed by Congress the
addition of thirteen hundred during the cur
rent year would be taken from the other arms
of the service, either by transfer or by enlist
ing in the artillery. instead of enlisting in the
Infantry, cavalry, etc. and in subsequent years
the addition to the artillery would in like man
ner merely affect the proportion of troops al
lotted to the different arms of the service TO
make up the aggregate number allowed by Con-
gTess.
The final paragraph of the bill provides for
regimental chaplains instead of the present
force OF chaplains. assignable to either resl-
ments or posts Very respectfully,
FLIHJJ ROOT, Secretary OF war.