The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-03
ONE HEAD
FOR ARMY
Plan to Consoli-
date Offices
Here.
POST COMMANDER
AS THE CHIEF
In Line With the General Policy
for Simplifying Workings OF
the Department.

Honolulu promises to cease II &c per-
rnanent factor in the activities of the
American war office. Plans are now be-
ing considered at Washington by Sscre-
tary Root for the consolidation all
the branches of the public service here
under one head the commander O. the
post. This would mean that no staff
officer would be sent here to succeed
Major W. w Robinson Jr., when that
officer leaves the depot quartermaster-
ship to go on TO the Philippines, and that
the hospital would become a post adGen-
pital
These changes are. in line with the
new policy of the war office, which under
Secretary Root may be changed materi-
ally in the methods which have governed
for the past quarter of century.
The press of business which has come
as a result Of the military administration
of the Philippines and Porto. Rico, with
the maintenance of the army In Cuba,
has proved almost too much for the Sec
rotary of War. That there must be so
many reports from the officers who are.
on the staff. has been a burden which
he would very willingly throw upon
other shoulders by dividing the duties
at headquarters. These changes would
mean a strengthening of the line with a.
corresponding diminution of the weight
of the staff. Could there be a general
reformation of the office force, a change
in the methods there would be not more
than one-third of the reports which are
new received in the office of the secre
tary.
The general plan would be the CONSOLE
dalton of the bureaus or offices into, per-
haps, three. This would mean that what
is now the office of the adjutaHt general
would be that of the general command
ing, with the adjutant and the inspector
general, in branches of the service. The
supply departments such as the quarter
master, the commissary and the pay de-
partments, would be in another depart
ment, and the technical or scientific bu-
reaus, the engineers, the ordnance and
the signal corps, would constitute a third.
The plan will not be put through with
out great opposition on the part of the
staff Of the army, as 1t is now organized.
The contention of the staff is that the
system is one which has grown up with
the growth Of the army, and is the best
results of the thought of the soldiers Of
the Republic who have made the name
of its citizen soldiery famous It will
be contended that the United States is
the only nation which fights it's battles
with volunteer army and to place that
army in the field means that the staff
must be as strong as possible; that 1t
must be most highly organized in every
particular.
While the change would mean much to
the general officers, there would be here,
according to the present plan, consoli-
dation under the charge of the officer
In command of the post. The feeling at
Washington as regards Honolulu is that
this change would be desirable, even if
it would make it advisable that an Off
Ger of higher rank should be sent here in
command of the troops. There is now
on the way an order from General Lud-
fngton, for the transfer of Major Rob
inson~to Manila for staff duty 1t is pos
sible that Major Taylor, surgeon in
charge of the hospital. would be trans
ferred as well. if the change is made.