Arizona daily citizen., 1901-02-18
PROMOTION
IN THE ARMY.

IN THE ARMY.
Commenting upon the compare
tive "slouchiness" OF American troops
in China, Capt William Crozier OF the
United States army, in an article in the
February number of The North .Smeri-
can Review, says it was not due to in
difference on the part OF The commau-
der, all OF whose impulses led him in the
opposite direction. His own eXplana-
ton is this: 1.-The constant thocght,
attention and effort required iron
otficersl cannot be secured without sti-
mulus, and stimulus is lacking in
our service. 1t may not be generally
appreciated how little power exists un-
der our laws to reward meritoTious
officers, or to place subordinate com
mand in the hands of the most efficient.
The president selects general officers
departments; there his power stops.
All promotions in these departments
and throughout the line is strictly by
seniority; the efficient and the inetii-
cient, the careless and the attentive, the
sober and the intemperate advancing
equally; If an officer avoids a court
martial the rest follows. There is no
effective process of elimination OF the
inefficient; officers are examined for
promotion, and ii they cannot pass are
supposed to go out of the service; but
in the ten years OF the operation OF the
Law upon the subject, there is no single
instance of an officer having been de-
prived OF his commission by its appli-
cation, except for physical incapa-
city
Capt. Crozier is careful writer, and
has an intimate knowledge OF his subject
Bat recent events show that the wor-
shippers of promotion by seniority are
tolerably numerous in the army itself.
Gen. Leonard Wood, who is now
major general of volunteers, is in the
regular army captain OF the medical
department, or in other words surgeon.
His appointment by President Mckin-
ley as brigadier general in the regular
army has called forth protest from many
officers. This example is not very sa
tisfactory one, because it cannot be de- I
MED that Gen. Woods military expel-
ience has been inconsiderabie. His !
great qualities have been shown as an
administrator. Therefore, while his
promotion has been recommended Ise-
cause the president believes firmly in
his military capacity, army officers can
say with truth that he is man without
much military experience. The mere
fact that these army officers protest in
this case is therefore less enlightened
than the spirit of their protests. Most
OF them appear greatly to prefer promo
tions by seniority to an arrangements /
which permits the president, in the ex- I
ercise of his discretion, to Jump men
like Gen. Wood over their heads. They
give one reason to suspect that in prac-
tice the promotions for merit recon-
nlended by Capt. Crozier would meet
great deal OF opposition within the army
itself.
Despite the opposition within the ar
my there is no reason why civilians
should be blind to the excellence of the
presidents decision to give Gen. Wood a
high military office. Military in the
strict sense OF the word his services have
not been they have been those of mil.
itary administrator. Excepting those
very optimistic persons who think the
insurrection in the Philippines will have
disappeared by nextJune, who can deny
that in some parts OF these islands mill
tary administrators are likely to be
needed for several pears? And even ii
the appointment were not what it is,
creditable both to Gen. Wood and the
president, 1t ought, unless Cuba is to
become independent Immediately, and
his services are to be needed there is no
longer, to be confirmed at once. The
Cubans have learned a great deal, no
doubt, but they do not understand the
Influences which may combine to chang
up q nomination that has been sent to
the senate, and they might misinterpret
and over estimate either rejection of
Gen. Wood or failure TO confirm him.
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