Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-30
THE ARMY BILL.
SECRETARY OF WAR COMMUNE
Gates WITH HOUSE COM
MITTEE.
tBy Telegraph to virginian-Pnot.,

Washington. Nov. 29.--The House com
mittee OH military affairs tonight made
public letter received from Secretary
Root, under date OF the 2Sth instant,
transmitting u draft of n bill prepared
by the war department for the reorgan-
zatlon of the army.
Tho letter says that the army as at
present organized under the present law
will cease to exist on July l. 1901 With
out further legislation he says the volun-
teers now In service must be discharged
July /. 1901, and the regular army re-
duccd from 65.OOO to 29O25 men, ContInu-
ing the letter says:
without leaving much, IL any margin
for sickness. such as the campaigns of
the last two years warn us must be
counted as an important factor in any
occupation by the army. peaceful or war
like. OF many OF the islands which con-
stitutc the Philippine group. the strength
thus fixed must prove utterly inadequate,
leaving out of consideration the service
in the United States, in Porto Rico and
for the time being in the island of Cuba.
MANY SERIOUS PROBLEMS.
The army is confronted with many
serious problems, the solution of which
demands not only intelligence and wis
dom, but showing of well-organized
force in the new possessions. The
history OF our Indian wars fs replete
With incidents showing the futility OF
sending an inadequate force to bring
into subsection hostile natives such rs
those occupying the Philippine islands.
In the preparation OF the present bill
the minimum number of men is fixed
for each organization with proviso
that the President may. in his discre-
ton, increase the number OF enlisted
men In any troop, battery or compa-
ny, provided that the total number of
enlisted men authorized for the army
by congress shall not at any time be
exceeded. BY the adoption of this plan
the absolute fixed strength of the reg
ular army can be shown at n glance,
and any increase Of numbers above the
minimum will be limited by such au-
thorty as may be conveyed from time
to time by the congress. The peace
strength of each troop, battery and
company Is fixed in this bill as now
authorized by existing law. The num-
Der of regiments has been increased by
five of cavalry, five of infantry, num-
bers which would correspond to five
regiments of artillery, and two bat
talions of engineers.
THE ARTILLERY.
AS the increase in the artillery Is in
tended for the seacoast defences. the
field service will be ten additional regi-
ments of cavalry and infantry and the
two battalions of engineers. Authority
Is asked in this bill to raise a provi-
sional force of natives in the island of
Porto Rico and also in the Philippine
Islands. The organization of the ma
tive troops in the Philippine Islands
will under the peculiar conditions OK
listing there be proceeded with slowly
and with great care.
C1APLAINS.
The bill contains provisions for
better distribution Of chaplains for au-
thorizing veterans of the war with
Spain to wear, on occasions of cere-
rnony, their uniforms, similar to the
authority given by congress to veter-
ans of the civil war. authority for the
retirement, with an increased grade. OF
veterans of the two wars, the civil war
and the war with Spain; for the addi-
ton of n nurse corps, the necessity for
which has been developed during the
past two years; for preliminary sur
veys for the establishment OF camps
for the militia and regular army; au-
thorizing the President to appoint
chiefs TO vacancies occurring in the
staff corps and departments from the
army ut large. and the introduction or
the detail system to severalsof the star
corps and departments.
TO replace the volunteers and regu-
lars who will be discharged prior to
July t. and give an army of sufficient
size to meet the eXigencies now con-
fronting 1t. or such as may hereafter
occur, provision has been made so that
the President may increase the number
of enlisted men without the creation of
new organizations.
The bill provides for maximum
army of 967G6 men and minimum
force of 5S,924 men.
CONCLUSION.
Secretary Root declares that the cost
Of volunteers enlisted for short terms
| is much greater than regulars enlisted
| for three years. MIR. Root concludes
For short terms of service and dur
ing the war.when large numbers of men
are required, the country must always
rely. as 1t has done In the past, upon
the volunteer soldier, but the condi-
tons now confronting the department
demand that it shall have at hand
| sufficient number of regular regiments
| TO furnish the garrsons and perform
! the work now required by the army.
I The number of regiments must by sufi-
! cient to enable the department to re-
lieve regiments from time to time
from duty outside the United states.
The experience of the past two years
I oh l,n 20 TN