Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-06-13
LIKEWISE IN NAVY
The Application of the New
General Staff
Idea.
MOODY Is STUDYING A SCHEME
Which Has Been Presented to Him
on the Subject-The Army
Innovation.

Washington, June 13.-DetailS of the
general staff project, which the naval
general board has submitted to See
retary Moody for his consideration.
have been made public at the navy
department. Its adoption by congress
would mean a reorganization of the
navy department. Under the new
scheme the secretary of the navy
stands at the head of the department,
and in his absence the assistant sec
retary. Under the latter's control are
placed all the bureaus of the depart
ment with the exception of the bureau
of navigation, the duties of which are
to be performed by the general staff.
In charge of the military end of tue
department will be the senior ranking
naval officer on duty ut the depart
ment. Who will have the position of
chief of the general staff, and prob
ably rank as vice admiral. This officer
will he responsible to the secretary for
the movements and organizations OF
fleets and for all matters relating 10
the personnel of the service. Under
the chief of staff will be three grand
divisions of the general staff, to be
known as the divisions of the person
mel. of the feet, and of war plans,
respectively.
The scheme further contemplatCs
the creation of an executive commit
tee, whose duties will be the fOrniu-
lating of war plans and direction of the
work of all branches of the general
staff The general board will he known
as the general council The duties
will be of an advisory nature on all
matters referred to it by the secre-
tary.
Chief of STAFF a "Big Injun."
Washington. June ia committee
of twelve OF the general staff. of which
General Tasker Bliss is chairman, hes
nearly completed a draft of regula-
tions for the government of the gen
eral staff. The regulations to carry the
general staff act into effect will make
radical changes in the army. The
chief of staff viii be an ali-powerful
person, uniting in himself all the theo-
retical authority exercised by the COM
manding general under the present law
vested in the adjutant general. AS
drafted the new regulations leave lit
tie or nothing of the adiutant generals
department and less of the inspector
generals department The adjutant
general will keep the records as now
and he orders to the army viii be pro
mulgamated and published by him, but
the chief of staff will direct the issue
of orders.
lie VIII he the intermediate DeUween
the president and secretary of war and
the army and staff bureaus will re-
ceive instructions and orders from the
chief of staff in the name of the sec
retary of war The chief of staff will
have the supervision of the troops OF
the line. will direct military operations.
and in general will he the most pow
erful officer that ever held Il position in
the army in times of peace OF course,
at all times he will be subject to the
order of the president and the secre-
tary of war. Not only the purely mil
itary matters supposed TO be vested in
the commanding general are given TO
thenew staff in the general regulations.
but the supplies and shipments also
ulations make the general staff officers
on duty in Washington boards to con-
slider all matters requiring investiga-
ton and report. including inspections.
The general staff Will recommend OF
ficers for detail and promotion. and the
enlistment and recruitment of soldiers
also will be taken from the adiutant
generals department and given to the
general staff An important feature
not yet wholly determined relates to
officers detailed from the general staff
to the various army departments. The
regulations as prepared provide that
the officers so detailed, either to a de-
partment or with a division or brigade
in the field, shall become the chief or
staff of the commanding officer of the
or division of troops operat-
ing in the field. without regard to the
rank of any other staff officers in the
command The committee hopes to
submit draft to General Young in or
der that he may send 1t to the secre-
tary of war before he leaves the city.
General Young will make tour of the
great lakes next week, leaving here on
Saturday.