Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-08-16
THE SEARCH FOR ARMY OFFICERS

The war department continues to find
that its search for new officers for the
regular army Is by no means an easy one
Up to August >. al3 men, who served as
volunteer officers during the war with
Spain and in the Philippines had been
commissioned and some % more have
been added since that time. In addition
to these. 300 enlisted men have passed
the competitive examinations. been pro
NOTED and assigned to regiments. In al
there were between seven and eight hun.
dred places to be filed, that it will be
some time yet before the list is com
pletc.
Much pressure has been brought to bear
upon the department in behalf Of men
who have failed in their cXaminat lions or
who fear failure. These men ask that
they be given from three to six months
delay in oruer to study UP Oh the book
I,:lrt of their profession. although the de
partment lowered the standards of tho
examinations ut least once. 1t is safe to say
that in no other army would men be al
lowed into the regular service more easily
The department Itself feels tnat II mas
made every concession possible. More
time has been given to all of the candi
dates than was planned at first and re
peated delays have been granted in spc-
ci:Il cases. although there has been cry
ing need for ornccrS throughout the army,
as is shown by the fact that the 18th
infantry has but ~ officers. one captain
commanding three companies without
help.
The papers of candidates examined by
the various boards now meeting at differ
cnt points are sent on to a board OF re-
view at Washington. OF which Gen. James
NJ. Bell is the head. This board takes IN
each Individual ease. and with the RECORDS
of the department at its command, II IN
vcstieatcs the service record OF the APP
plicant. IL it finds that an applicant has
served faithfully and well in the volun-
teer service, il may recommend that he
be commissioned, although he has fallen
below the minimum required in the men
tai m ina L.
found IL necessary to rule out "A number
of those applicants who nave passed sue
cessfully both mental and physical eN-
aminatiOnS because of court-martia!S or
other blots on their military records. The
President designated for examination and
appointment about $50 volunteers. or OF
this number 81 declined appointment, and
80 have not been heard from ana cannot
be located ,y department officials.
Once the officers selected are iuiiy com
misSiOncd and the service complete. II VIII
behoove the war department to pay spe-
cial attention to their education and dis
ciplining. Very few of the men so taken
will be up to the army standard OF the
days before the war with Spain. That
Secretary Root intends to help on their
professional education is shown by the
TACT that he has reestablished the artil-
lery school at Fort Monroe and is plan
ming not only to reestablish the cavalry
and infantry school at Fort Leavenworth
and tn, cavalry school at Fort Riley, but
also to make these two places the scenes
at great national maneJVres. 1t is ais }
announced that the post lyceGms. which
" .e i.a.uf...y abandoned during the war
with Spain, are to be reestablished. an,
it is understood that they will be altered
o as to include a regular course of stud :
for the subordinate officers. 1t is plain
hat only in this way can the new ma
erial be brought up to the standard OF
the old ard fresh professional advances
made In regard to discipline it is hoped
that the war department will show no
mercy zen dismissal sentences are
brought before it. These new officers
nave been gwen lifelong work. and if
they cannot appreciate their advantages
efficiently to behave themselves, they
should be dropped at once. and better
men found The committing of the SEN
tence of Major F. E. Eltonhead. 14th
infantry. from dismissal to reduction for
five wears to the foot of the ma jors of
infantry. is pardonabie. in view of that
officers long service. and his good con-
iuct in war especially as he will be
jumped by AZ officers at once. and By all
who are promoted during the next five
ears, and in All probability will never
reach n higher rank. But in the case of
younger officers, it would be mistaken
leniency if the war department should
fail To separate them at ouce from the
servicc.-New IorE Post.