The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-15
OLD MEN NOT
WANTED IN ARMY
Roosevelt Proposes to Give Vet
eran Officers Short ShTift.
UPSETS THE M'KlNLEY PLAN
WILL COMPEL ELDERLY MEN TO
RETIRE SUMMARILY.
Especial to The Herald)

rank Of brigadier general in the
regular army. Three more vacancies
are imminent in this rank and two in
the rank Of major general President
Roosevelt has had il 20 be understood
that nothing VIII be done Immediately
To iii these vacancies. and TO prevent
pressure at the White House on the
part of friends of ambitious officers
ne has also announced that an aspi-
rant will injure rather than help his
chances by sending people to intercede
for him.
The reason for delay in filing vacan-
cies of this character is due to the
present status of army legislation.
There is a bill now before congress
which proposes that all officers Of the
army who have served through two
wars shall be retired at their own re-
quest at the rank next higher to the
one they hold at the time of retirement.
Il is estimated that there are at pres
4! ent 121 civil war veterans who would
come under the provisions Of such a
law. A number of these are mens Oc-
cupying high positions. but who. new
ertheless. are taCitly understood to be
in the presidents classification of dead
wood which he is DESTROYS of eliminat-
E
In filling all vacancies in the future.
/ especially those now pending. the pres
ident viii undoubtedly take as radical
action as he has in several other in
stances, notably in the ordnance corps.
Disappoints Many Veterans.
Owing to the presidents determine
ton to select only young, active, eff
fCient men. who have the prospect of
! long service, in positions of response
bility. a number of line officers are re-
trims every few days. without aChiev-
{ ing the high rank which they have
4 hoped for and would have, in all prob
ability. received under the policy which
was adopted by the late President NC
/ Einley. There have been one or two
exceptional cases where men were 50
| evidently entitled 10 recognition of
/ their services and bravery that PreSi-
dent Roosevelt has promoted them inn
mediately before their retirement, 50
I that they might enjoy the increased
pay and honor due to the higher rank,
/ but as a matter o principle he is OPP
/ posed to this form Of promotion.
/ He is known to be specially DESTROYS
! of securing the passage Of the bill re-
/ ferred to. 1t is not likely. however
! that this bin will pass as a separate
4 as almost sure of enactment in the
/ form of a rider upon some other meas
/ ure. Once this bill is passed there will
/ undoubtedly be q lively stirring up in
/ the higher circles of the army. 4
/ number of officers who now enjoy i'm
pOTtant bureau details have expressed
/ a willingness to retire if they can gel
what they consider as their due promo
J ton to the rank of briga dier or major
/ general. The president has been Un-
/ willing to cause any great commotiOr
+ or discussion and ill-feeling by re-
/ questi1g these men to retire. which he
/ has the right to do, as nearly all OF
them have passed the age of g. As
/ soon as they can be made major gen
/ erals. however, by the automatic Oper-
alton of the proposed law. if they show
! any Discrimination TO lay down the har-
ness il viii be inumated to them tina
a request for retirement would be ii
! order. and IT is safe to say that it vii
be forthcoming.
New Men in Departments.
Should this law go into effect at this
! session of congress il is freely predict
ed around the war department tina
/ within d year new men will preside a
! the head of nearly all the departments
] ,
or rather part Of the general army bill
| which provides for the creation Of Z
great department of supply, consistin:
of four divisions. each presided owe
by a brigadier general, the whole de
paTtment to be under the cOmmant
Of a major general.
Makes Radical Changes.
1t is extremely unlikely that thi
| feature of the secreJary's reOrganiza
ton measure will be seriously consid
/ cred. 1t is not opposed so vigorously
I by those now at the heads of the vari
Ious bureaus as might be expected. TIL
bill provides that each of the presen
bureau chiefs shall remain as such IN
til their period of retirement.
creates a new division of the suppl
corps. to be known as the transpOrta
/ ton division, which makes a place 70
another brigadier general
Who would be put in charge of thi
great supply department of the govern
ment should this bill become a law ha
| been a matter of considerable cOnjec
-".e. Every ranking officer Of aCtiv
habits is hoping that the choice Nigh
tall on him. 1t is considered a SAT
guess. however, that General Woo
would be Immediately slated for tn
/ position. as with the expiration by linn
itation of the Office of governor o
Cuba. some other field of activity woul
be sought for his administrative tai
entS.
The new department Of transpOrta
ton, If created, WOULD be placed uu
der some competent man in the quar-
termasteT's force. but any c0niectur
as to these matters is considered use
less and premature, as no one expect
this measure to be enacted Tito Lar
at this time. The passage of what
known as the presidents bill. retirin
/ officers at d rank next higher than tn
one they hold at the time of retire
ment, is the one now interesting arm
I circles. not only for the benefits whic
/ viii accrue to the civil war veterans
but owing to the rapid and sensations
changes which viii undoubtedly TAX
place in the bureaus Immediately 70
lowing its enactment. The delay /
/ disp0sing of this measure is locke
I upon as a sort of food gate merel
holding back the tide, and when it
! opened there viii be something dC
I ing in the war department