New-York tribune., 1900-12-05
ARMY BILL AMENDED.
HOUSE MILITARY AFFAIRS
COMMITTEE.
Lpr TELEGRAPH TO PIE rsEsuss.l

[BF TELEGRAPH TO PIE TEIBUSsl
Washington. Dee. 4-The Army bill. as reporteo
10 the House to-day and in the form that ii is 10
DO pressed TO a vote il possible tomorrow after
noon. has been modified in radical degree since II
was prepared under Secretary Roots direction last
week and as printed in The Tribune last Saturday
The detail, or rotative SIAN provisions have osee
recast without sacrificing the paipable advantages
| Of Mr. Roots plan and among a number OF minor
changes inspector OF artillery, who VIII rave tne
rank OF colonel Ito serve on the STAN OF the seh.
eral officer commanding the Army" IS substitutes
in Section for the chief Of the aTtllleFy eoiPs'
! who was 70 be a hrigaeier-ssnsrai, the increase
! OF artillery officers instead or being Haoe al
/ once TO be gradual and only in properIien 20 inc
increase in the number OF at the rate OF ~ per
/ cent annually; the adjutant-gsneral atter Major
| General Gorbin is 70 have the rank OF brigacier-
General only increases in the Judge advoeate-gen-
| erals auartermasters. subsistence, pay anc sis-
| nal corps open 70 volunteer ofaeers without
regard 20 rank; the snrgeon-general' ~1tn the ap-
provaI Of the Secretary of War, raay appoint as
many contract surgeons may be needed at $50
a menth the term og once Of the superintendent
OF the female nurse eorps may be terminated st
his discretion and the next chief OF the Record
and Pension ONCE after the present Incumbent
shall have the rank ot colonel only. In Mr.. Roots
bill, Section 20, volunteer officers not thirty
two years old at the passage Of the act were en-
titled 70 examination for appointment to the grade
Of sseone lieutenant n the augmented Regular es,
tablishment The age restriction has been stricken
cut.
4 NEW STAFF SECTION
The most important change in Mr. Roots stan
proposition limits details for staff duty 70 the lower
grades. To accomplish this. Sections 2S and q of
the War Department bill have been wholly replaced
by the following:
cannot be filled BY promotion appointment under
ofces of the grades Of 9 t5 n5 aS ~
IN the Adjutanr- Generals and InspeetoT-GeneraFs
Subsistence and Pay departments and OF first lieu
Srp Eneb m 5e Repayment si And ths sgnsl
rnansnt app9ntment. but shall be filed by the de-
animation as herinafter provided, Of an ofser Of
years unless sooner relieved, and shall not again
De eligible for detail in any staff corps or Depart
for two years with troops Of the in which he is
9sT ssh Amy fer detailed for STAN duty
from from the gTade correSpopdng 70 from the grade
a and shall al have the rank pay and allowance OF
odieeP until he has actually served with troops for |
I az SS d0Qg years u ms rank is above that OF
Is a second lieutenant and such detail shall be /
passed satisfactory competitva examnatioa % by
an an examining board composed Of three officers, OF
Whem one may De line ohlcer and two shall be /
permanent or detailed officers Of the department |
sT f0sPs ~ W ~1eh nc one aetal Is 20 De made SAID e
prescribed by the President and TO be announced |
70 be constituted herein prescribed. for the va
flous aePar{ments and corps in which details are
Ts[aTy Is OF War at such times and places as
said boards shan ''c examine and resort upon,
as far as practicable. all line ofacers who may be
have been recommended by their commanding ON
GERS for such details separate list Of officers re
Shall be Kept for each department or corps in
list to be aTraaged Il in ccordante with the g Tangs
given them by the examining boards. and 10 be de-
which the list pertains in the order Of their stand
eligible for detail for more than two years unless
hsreinbetoTe PRESCRIBED Provided. that nothing in
thS @ aGt shq be so construed as TO require the de-
menS OF the Secretary OF War. is mentally. morally
That whenever there shall occur a vacancy which |
cannot DC hiled under the provisions Of preceding
holding permanent appointments. in offices OF the
sIades OF colonel IN the Adlutant-General and In
Quartermaster's and Subsistence departments, Of
FamSsIers Of that grade sSa ii' have sRs
Ordnance Department and the signal CORPS. " such
vacancy shall be flied by the appointment of an
served by detail under the provisions Of this aet.
n the next lower grade in the department or corps
n WHICH the vacancy occurs.
Three new sections have been added. The first. or
Section co. provides that no ohicer or private
soldier shall sell intoxicating drinks any kind as
bartender or otherwise, in any Army post or on |
my Army transport. or ii any eneampment or fort
n on any premises used for military purposes BY |
The United States and the Secretary of War is |
hereby directed to issue such general order as may
De necessary TO the provisions of this section
nto full force and effect"
DOES NOT ABOLISH THE CANTEEN
This will not have the effect as would seem
likely at first glance of abolishing the canteen or
prohibiting the sale of beer posts or on trans
,orts, bur simply prevents enlisted men from act
ng as bartenders.
Section Il is designed to promote General Shafter
% Inajor-general on the retired list II IS as fol-
ows: q
That the President is hereby authorized TO select
rom the retired list OF the Army officer not | q
bove the rank Of brigadier-geneFaL who may | t,
lave distinguished himself during the war with
spain. in command of a separate army, and TO |
appoint. by and with the consent OF the Senate ! {
he officer selected 10 be major-generaI L. 5. A.
With the pay and allowances established by law
or officers OF that grade on the retired list.
Section -, which will result in Generals James H l
Wilson and Fitzhugh Lee being placed on the re )
ired list provides that the President is authorized
o select from the brgadiergenerals OF volunteers
volunteer officers without regard 20 age, and
ppont them brgadier-generals, L. S. A., for the ,
purpose of placing them upon the retired list" 4
The hne section of the bill declares that moth
ng in this act shall be held construed as 10
discharge any officer from the Army TO deprive
THE ARMY BILL IN THE HOUSE.
7orE TO BE TAKEN AFTER SIX HOURS
DEBATE