Evening star., 1901-02-06
JOY FOR THE JUNIORS
YOUNG ARMY OFFICERS WILL NOT
BE JUMPED BY NEWCOMERS.
Possibility That Leonard Wood May
Eventually He Lieutenant
General.

Secretary Root says that the military ap-
pointments just made do not necessarily In
volve any change of commands in the
Philippines, and that there is no purpose OF
relieving Gen. Macarthur of the supreme
command of that division in the immediate
future Gems. Wade and Ludlow, who nave
been ordered 10 the Philippines, will proba-
bly, relieve Gems. Young and Bates, VINO
have served in that country for over two
years. Gen. Young has been already or
dered home, and the orders in the case OF
Gen Bates will be issued in a short time.
Generals Young and Macarthur have been
jumped over Brigadier Generals Wade and
Merriam. and General Chaffee is also ad-
vanced over those two officers. as well as
over Generals Macarthur and Ludlow and
fifty-three colonels who had higher relative
rank than he in the regular army.
The action in the case of General Chaffee
is accepted in military circles as an indica-
ton that he is to be placed in supreme COM
mand of the military forces in the Philip
pines, and that Generals Young and Mac
Arthur, who are now in that country, are
to be relieved shortly and assigned to duty
in the United States.
Senate's Action Awaited.
1t is said at the War Department that no
more general officers of the army will be
appointed until after the Senate has acted
One reason for this is that there will be no
vacancy in the list of major generals unless
Gen. Miles Is confirmed in the higher rank
of lieutenant general. In case vacancy
occurs in that manner il is freely predicted
at the War Department that it will be filed
by the appointment of Col. John c. Bates,
I'd Infantry (major general L. S. W, who
yesterday nominated n brigadier gen
eral Such appointment would prevent
the promotion of either Brig. Gems. Wade
and Merriam to a major generalcy for some
time to come.
Under the present plan Br g. Gen. SchWan
nominated yesterday, Will be retired imme-
diately after his confirmation, and Col.
Daggett of the 18th Infantry appointed to
the vacancy. Col. Daggett will also be I'M
mediately retired. in order to permit the
appointment of Col. Gilmore of the adju-
tant generals department ana Col. A. h.
Arnold. 1st Cavalry, as brigadier generals
before their statutory retirement in few
weeks.
Anxiety of Juniors Relieved.
a good deal Of anxiety has been expert
enced by junior officers in the regular
service AT the prospect of being jumped
by the flood of newcomers into the regu-
lar service. under the present re0rganiza-
ton act. This announcement from the
War Department will be of some comfort
to those officers:
promotions Will he made TO the grade
of first lieutenant III the regular army of
al second lieutenaDtS in that army whose
commissions anteda ate the war with Spain
These promotions will carry up all officers
in the regulars who have had longer serv-
ice than volunteers. but will still leave
vacancies for volunteer second lieuten-
ants
Attention is called at the War Depart
ment to the fact that the order of senior
ity of the general officers appointed is
determined by the dates in February stat
ed In the nomination. Thus, Gen. Young
as of TIE ith and Macarthur as of the
9TH. will take precedence In that order
wherever they meet. Gen. Wood being
named as a bTigadier general as of the
4th is ranked by Bates, Wheaton, Davis
and Schwan and possibly by Sumner, the
latter being nominated as of the same
date.
Wood May He Lieutenant General.
But it is pointed out at the department
that one result of Gen, Woods nominal
ton in this order would be, in the event
that he follows the regular order of pro-
motion hereafter to make him lieutenant
general of the United States army for
fourteen years. Gen. Wood now stands
number sixty in the list Of army captains.
Capt. ]. Franklin Bell who is number 80
in the list of captains, relative rank. was
nominated to be a full brgadier general.
The appoint ment of Gen. Adna r. Chat
fee to be major general of the regular
army is the first instance of its kind In
the history OF the army. This distinguish
ed officer began his career private in
the 9th Cavalry also, and he will be the
| first officer promoted from the ranks to
| ever exercise command in the regular
army as a general officer.