Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-20
Mr.. ROOTS STATEMEN
Explains the Bill to Increase Efficiency of
the Military Establishment
Justice to Chiefs of star Corps-Pro-
posed increase and Reorganization
of the Artillery Arm.

In communication to the chairmen of
the committees on military affairs Secre-
tary Root makes an explanatory statement
in regard to the War Department bill 'to
increase the efficiency of the military es-
tablishment of the United States" which
bill, he says, is designed to correct some
recognized defects of the present system
and to increase the artillery branch of the
service. He says that the bill provides:
First. For a proportion of the promo
tions in the line by selections, so that spe-
cially meritorious and gallant services of
officers during war and otherwise may be
recognized and their services be made
available in higher grades.
Second. To provide officers for duty in
the adjutant generals department and in
spector generals department by detail, and
a system of rotation which will gradually
educate number Of selected officers in the
duties Of all branches of the service. This
will in time provide considerable body of
officers capable of exercising command and
performing the higher duty of chiefs of
staff during war.
Third. Provision is made for filing future
vacancies in the quartermasters depart
ment, the subsistence department, the ord
nance department, and the signal corps by
detail from the line and for rotation in
duties between line and staff, but not to the
same extent as with those officers selected
loT uutieS III lHe tuJuld1lt general s depart
ment and inspector generals department.
Justice to Chiefs of STAFF Corps,
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 dis
cretion to retire any of the present chiefs
holding permanent appointments. AS Off
GERS now holding commissions in the staff
corps and department have lost their rank
in the line and will be deprived of all op-
portunity of reaching grade above col
onel in order to put them ON a footing
equivalent to that of line officers provision
is made for retirement with increased rank
of such of these officers as may be select ed
as chiefs of staff corpS~or departments.
Artillery Corps.
Fifth. The bill discontinues the present
regimental organization of artillery and es-
tablishes this arm of the service as the
corps Of artillery, consisting of two dis
tinct branches. the field artillery and the
coast artillery. A gradual increase Of this
arm is provided. SO that at the expiration
OF five years there win be authorized a
total of not quite 5000 men. 1t is not seen
how the expensive seacoast equipment can
be cared for by a smaller number than rec
commended The increase is not quite so
large as has been heretofore recommended
but it is believed that this will meet the
requirements in the immediate future. 1t
is the design of this bill to provide for i'm
proVements in organization irrespective
of such action as Congress may hereafter
see mt to take regarding the size of the
army and section IL accordingly provides
that the increase in the artillery force shall
not cause the number 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
arm OF the service Is about 11,OOO. The
total number under this bill would ulti-
mately be not quite $1,000. The increase Of
about $500 to be made in five years would
be about 1900 year. but under the provf-
sion prohibiting the increase of the army
above the aggregate allowed by Congress
the addition of 1900 during the current
year would be taken from the other arms
OF the service. either by transfer or by en-
listing in the artillery instead of enlisting
In the infantry. cavalry, etc, and in sub
sequent years the additions to the artillery
would in like manner merely affect the
proportions of troops allotted to the differ
ent arms OF the service to make up the ag-
gregate number allowed by Congress.
The final paragraph of the bill provides
for regimental chaplains instead of the
present force of chaplains. assignable to
either regiments or post"