Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-09
FOLLOW THE UNITED STATES
British Army Reorganization Bill is
Modelled After Our Own.
TOMMY ATKINS" IS TO GET BETTER PAY
Major Lee Expresses Belief the
Measure Will Raise the stand
ara OF Enlisted Men
I'm the Army.

LONDON, March s.-The new army regu-
lations proposed by the war secretary. Mr..
Brodrick, providing for increased pay aud
other reforms. which have created SO much
comment, appear to have been directly
copied from the United States. Major Ar
thur Lee. M. p, formerly British military
attache at Washington, said to q repre-
sentative OF the Associated Press:
A last we have taken out a leaf from
your excellent book, though ] do not be-
live we have gone quite so far In that d.
~rection as we might, or hope we may. I'm
der Mr.. Brodrick's proposed changes, a
private in the British infantry now re-
ceives almost as much as a private in the
United States army. With this change.
which 1 frequently advocated while mill
tary attache at Washington, we hope to get
a class OF recruits similar TO those secured
in America. Under the old pay We were
gradually lowering the physical standard.
yet still finding 1t hard to get men, while
our desertion percentage was increasing at
a rate which showed there was something
radically wrong with the system. The
American army was the only other volun-
tarily enlisted body in the world with which
we could make serviceable comparisons, the
continental armies, owing to CONSUMPTION
n other causes, being perfectly worth
less as examples. A year ago Mr.. Brod-
rick pooh-poobed the idea Of copying the
United States. Now he has chan red his
mind and has done what the majority OF
the members of the house, regardless Of
party, believe to be the very best thing
that could have happened to the army
since Mr.. Cardwell lin 1922 effected his
sweeping reforms. For the first time
np---- "a n..rr4htp1 favud and with
higher pay, will be In a better position
than his agricultural brother, and from
that class we ought now to get the best
instead of the worst.
Eyes, It may hurt the agricultural inter-
est, or what is left Of 1t. in England, but l
do not believe that this damage will be
as serious as the evils which the change
will correct. Not only is 1t interesting
to note the influence Of the American sys-
tenn in these sweeping changes, but they
will nave a tremendous negative Inn
portance. Last year the government
clearly indicated its fears that 1t might
have to resort to CONSUMPTION. The present
move banishes all possibility OF this, for l
understand Mr.. Brodrick is willing to 60
even further in copying the United States
excellent treatment Of enlisted men and
by liberal finance build up the standard of
the army. The increase in pay means an
additional annual cost Of about $4,000, 900,
but 1 maintain that It will be q direct saw
ing Of money. for the better class OF men
secured will mean fewer men In the hospi-
tails and prisons, as we'll as obviating other
forms of wastage, and will quickly make up
for the individual initial outlay. Some
day, perhaps, we may be able to adopt the
sensible plan of the United States of pay
ing the enlisted men of all arms at the
same rate. But traditions here die hard"