The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-20
ARMY BILL AMENDMENTS
Changes in the Measure Prepared
by Secretary Root.
The Senate Military Affairs Commit
tee to Report in n Few DIys-sec-
ton Relating to the Rank of Lieu
tenant General Made TO Apply
Specifically to General Miles.

The Senate Military Committee has ma
terIally amended the Root bill for the
reorganization of the Army, and will report
it in a few days. Many protests reached
the committee from Army officers, who
represented that the bill, as drafted by
the War Department, contained provisions
which would introduce politics and social
influence in the administration of mill
tary affairs. Secretary Root, who has APP
peared twice before the committee, ex-
pressed willingness to have all other fea-
lures of the bill sacrificed if it were nee
essary to do so to secure an increase in the
artillery, and to provide for a reorganiza-
tion.
The most notable change made by the
committee is the rejection of section l,
which provides for promotion by selection
Most Of the objections of officers to the
bill were based on this provision, which
authorized making every third promotion
to the grade of colonel, lieutenant colonel,
and major in the line by selection. An
other important amendment is that which
exempts from the provisions of the pend
ing measure the officers now holding per
manent appointments in the AdJutant
Generals, Inspector Generals, Quarter
masters. Subsistence, and Ordnance De
partments, and Signal Corps. The pro-
vision for interchangeable duty for line
and staff officers is preserved, so far as
it relates to filling places which may mere
after become vacant in the stan corps
named The period of staff duty named in
the Root bill-four years-was approved
by the committee.
The provision Of the Root bill for Sc
lecting chiefs of staff, to which places Of
fcers of the Army OF any grade were
made eligible. and by which the
President was given authority to
retire chiefs of staff at his plezs-
ure, has been amended by the COM
select a chief of any staff corps, or de-
partment from the Army at large, rot
below the rank of lieutenant colonel, and
chiefs of staff corps or departments shall
be appointed for the term of four years
unless sooner relieved" This feature Of
the bill, however. is not made applicable
to officers generally until those now hold
ing permanent places in the staff corps
shall have vacated their staff positions 1t
is provided also that any officer who may
hold the place of chief of staff and who
returns to his former rank may be Ie-
tired with the rank. pay. and allowances
OF a brigadier general a new section, evil
Commissary General Eagan, now under
suspension, provides that when the inter-
ests of the services are deemed TO be bene-
fitted by the action, the President may place
on the retired list amy officer who mas
been suspended from duty by sentence CT
court-martiai.
The plan of organizing the artillery ITO
a corps of two branches coast and field
artillery at the head of which is to b. a
oh af Of rfff ish ha g hgi-
der general, is retained in the committee
bill. The strength of the artillery re-
mains the same as in the amended bill,
with the important provision that the total
strength of II, AS is not to be made by
transfers from other arms of the service.
but will be in addition to the enlisted
strength now authorized in the Regular
Army This means a material increase
in the enlisted strength of the artillery
arm, without disturbing the strength of
the infantry and cavalry. The provisions
Tor Increasing the artillery at a rate of 20
per centum per year remains in the bill
One feature of Mr.. Roots bill which has
met with much criticism was that which
provided for the increase of artillery Of
ficers by transferring infantry and cavalry
officers above the rank of captain TO the
artillery branch. This, il was contended
by its opponents, would block the pro-
'AiN'toi Va iiSutSi4diius Vi aItHiefV, VINO
would thus be deprived of their opportu-
nifty Of advancement, for which they had
been so long waiting. The Senate COM
mittee has. however, made no change in
this particular.
The last two sections OF the measure pro-
vide for the new grade of lieutenant gen
eral, and for the rank of major general for
the Adjutant General. The language of the
section relating to the lieutenant general is
made specifically to apply to General Miles.
II says that the new grade shall be filled
by the senior major general now COM
manGing the Army" 1t has been contend
ed with reference to this proposition that
1t is in violation of the Presidents consti-
tutional right to make appointments.