The Washington times., 1902-12-26
RAISING RANK OF
VETERAN ARMY OFFICERS
President Roosevelt Follow
ing McKinley's Precedent.

General Hasbrouck OF the artillery.
who has just been promoted from the
rank Of colonel TO the grade Of briga-
der general. viii be retired. at his own
request. so the President may iii the
vacancy by advancing another Of the old
colonels who served in the civil war. In
his messages to Congress the President
indo-sed the recommendation made by
the Secretary Of War that authority be
granted for The retirement Of officers
who served in the war of the rebellion
with a grade above that held By such
officers at the time Of retirement. There
are bills pending for that object. but the
indications for the passage Of any OF
them are not considered encouraging.
A similar proposition was recommend
ed by President Mckinley. Congress hay
ing given no heed to the recommenda-
tions. President Mckinley exercised his
prerogative and advanced a number Of
the old officers to the grade Of brigadier
general, those advanced having previ-
ously given a promise to request retire
ment Immediately following promotion.
The law permits an cmcer TO retire
upon his own request after thirty years
Of active service. President Roosevelt
has followed the policy OF his predeces-
sor in this regard. and the result has
been that forty colonels Of the line and
staff have been retired with the grade Of
brigadier general. grade which very
Few Of them would have attained in the
regular course OF promotion.
In army circles there is much inter-
est exhibited in the choice Of a sue
cessor to General Hasbrouck. for the
reason that the selection will Indicate
whether the President will continue the
policy Of advancing veteran officers to
the higher grade and Immediately there
after retiring them.
The young officers have as great in
terest in this matter as their seniors as
upon It depends their own speedy ad-
yancement. There have been intima
uons OF protests at the Capitol against
this method Of increasing the retired
list and adding TO the annual cost Of
maintaining the army, but Il is reason
ably certain that so long as the Presi-
dent nOminates the veterans for the
higher grade his nominations will be
confirmed
There are on the active list Of the
army nearly $500 commissioned officers.
Of which about 2.S5O are line officers.
The regimentaI rosters OF the cavalry.
artillery, and infantry show that Of the
2.S5O officers Of those corps. only eighty
nine served in the civil war. a number
of these entered toward the close of the
war, a few having served but a fraction
of a year.
In the star corps. including the en-
gineers and ordnance. there are thirty
four officers below the grade OF briga-
der general who served ln the war
There is one each In the Adjutant Cen
eral and Inspector General Depart
meuts; four in the Quartermaster and
three in the Commissary Department:
twelve in the engineers and ten in the
ordnance II Congress should pass the
bill authorizing veteran officers to retire
with the grade above that held by them
at the time o. the retirement 123 will
come under the privilege conferred.
The navy has such a provision OF law.
but to secure the increased rank the
officer must apply for retirement and not
wait until he has reached the age limit.
The enactment Of the bill would very
likely carry TO the retired list every vet I
eran officer Of the line within two years, I
and quite a number Of the staff corps.
All of the latter would not secure the
advanced rank prior TO reaching the age
limit