Evening star., 1902-02-17


authority to divide the transportation In
such way that complete rations can go
with other supplies and ammunitfons In
quantities bearing some ratio to the needs
Of the troops. The arguments for gen.
eral STAN could be extended on these lines
indefinitely, and thousands OF historical In
stances which are not generally understood
by the public, but the cost of which en-
hances the cost of war, could be cited to
justify the Introduction Of a general STAN
into the present army organization.
Promotions From the Ranks.
''The next subject recommended for leg.
islation Is the MODIFICATION Of the present
laws for the promotion from the ranks to
the grade of commissioned officer. From
time immemortal 1t has been the custom IN
non-commissloned Officers who had dis
tinguished themselves In action or who had,
by their conduct, shown marked aptltuoe
and ability for control Of men. A few years
prior to the outbreak of the war with
Spain this law was changed throwing open
competition for promotion to the grade OF
second lieutenant to all enlisted men VINO
could pass an examination, which was un-
fortunately established on such plane
that numbers OF young men without speciai
aptitude for control of men were enabled
to pass these examinations and be pro-
NOTED to the grade Of second lieutenant
when they had never even exhibited quail
tiles sufficient to justify their promotion
to the grade Of corporal in their own or
ganiZations.
1T is proposed now to establish a system
by which only non-commissioned officers
VINO nave shown aptitude for command and
control OF men will be considered for pro-
motion to the grade of commissioned Off1-
Ger, and instead Of depending upon an ex-
animation which requires much cramming
non-commissioned officers shall be given
preliminary examination to establish their
general character and qualifications, and
successful ones shall be sent to the General
Service and Staff College at Fort Leaven-
worth Kans., for a special course Of in
struction. covering period of six months.
They will have an opportunity for exercis-
ing command and to show their proficiency
as soldiers. BY this system the very best
men will be obtained and the unfit ones
culled out. Under the present system the
department has become quite we'll assured
that while large number of very bright
ana excellent young officers have been Sc
cured, some others have been able to Sc
cure their commissions who were not justly
entitled to them. while good soldiers not
sufficiently well posted to pass the exami-
nation hitherto required have failed.
Minor Difficulties Encountered.
''The remainder of the bill is intended
to correct certain minor difficulties encoun-
tered by the department. Authority Is
asked for the Secretary of War to direct
the public sale of stores which may accu-
mulate in excess of the requirements of
the army at any particular point. and
which are not considered worth transpor-
tatiOn The Secretary of War also asks
that all the officers of artillery promoted to
fill original vacancies caused In the artil-
lery branch of the army may be given
rank from the date of February ,, 1901, the
date of the passage of the army bill. the
same as was given to officers of infantry
and cavalry who We're promoted to fill va
cancies under that act. 1t may be remem-
bered that Congress provided that artillery
officers would not be promoted any faster
than recruits were obtained for that arm.
ic hos rc111 1,la ccix- Ttath thc,1 TN,
some cases, and it is thought that the ques
tion of rank might be Well readjusted at
this time. The bill also recommends that
the period which any assistant surgeon
shall have served as surgeon. assistant
or contract surgeon since April D. 1898,
shall be counted as a portion of the five
years service required to entitle him to the
rank of captain, and in fixing the relative
rank between assistant surgeons who may
have served as medical officers or contract
surgeons in the regular volunteer forces
since April %. 1895 shall be taken into ac-
count 1t Is provided that all patentable in
ventions possessing military value here
after made by army officers in active serv-
Ice shall be the property of the United
States. The number of signal sergeants is
authorized to be increased to $50. during
the temporary emergency in the Philippine
Islands, and to abolish the grade of second
class private in the Signal Corps. The
number of electrician sergeants is increased
to 125
The Transport Service.
1.-The Secretary Of War, having in view
the question Of the transportation of troops
and the ultimate disposition of the army
transport service, asks that whenever any
vessel used or owned by the government of
the United States as an authorized trans
port shall be sold such vessel shall be
deemed vessel of the United States and
be entitled to be registered and enrolled as
If built in the United States. Whenever the
Secretary of War makes or approves a
contract with the owners of a vessel of the
United States for the carriage of military
stores he shall be authorized to require a
stipulation in such contract under which he
shall have authority in case of military ne
cessity to take possession of such vessel
and operate the same for military purposes,
upon reasonable charter price, to be fixed
in the contract or to be ascertaned there
after, as occasion shall arise, by appraise-
ment.
1T will be observed that this bill covers
quite a variety of subjects, but the variety
is very small compared to the widely dis
tributed business of the War Department."