Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-20
FIRST OFFICIAL STEP
Executing Act to. Increase
the Army's Efficiency.
A GEN ERAL ORDER
LOOKING TO THE ORGANIZATION
OF A GENERAL STAFF.
Board Of Officers Designated to Meet
Here March 80 to Make
Recommendations.
A GENERAL ORDER

The first official step toward the execu-
tion Of the act passed at the past session OF
Congress ito increase the efficiency Of the
army" by providing for the establishment
Of a general staff corps was taken by the
President today in the issue Of an order
providing for the first organization Of the
general staff.
The text of this order is as follows:
War Department. Adjutant Generals
Office.
WASHINGTON, March 20, 1903
General Orders, No. So:
By direction fthe President a board
of officers. to consist OF Major General
Samuel B. M. Young. Major General Adna
R. Chanee. Major General John c. Bates,
Brigadier General William H. Carter Brig
adler General Tasker ii. Bliss, Brigadier
General Wallace F. Randolph. chief of ar
tillery. and Major Henry A. Greene, United
States Infantry. assistant adjutant general,
is appointed to meet in this city March 30,
1SO3. to recommend for detail forty-two off,
GERS from the army at large. including the
existing Stan corps and departments and
the line. to complete the first organization
exclusive Of general officers of the general
STAN as constituted by section 3 of the act
approved February IA. 1903. The board
will be governed by the probable aptitude
and efficiency of officers as established by
their records. No applications recommen-
dations or letters, except those submitted
through the proper military channels Of
the army shall be considered by the. board.
The adjutant general will transmit to the
poard the efficiency records of all officers
now In active service who are graduates
OF the service schools or have distinguished
themselves either in campaign or by the
performance of administrative or other spe-
clal service, or are specially recommended
by superior officers. The board shall have
access to the records of all officers and au-
thority to call for additional papers or evil
dence In any particular case. The mem
bers of the board shall be sworn to perform
their duties impartially and without favor
or affection.
Vacancies occurring in the general staff
corps, after its organization, will be filled
upon the recommendation OF a permanent
the three senior officers of the general
staff corps on duty at the War Depart
ment operating In similar manner.
In order to avoid having the initial de-
tails to the general staff corps terminate
at the same time the board will recommend
what proportion of officers In each grade
shall be relieved at the end OF two, three
and four years, respectively, the designa-
tion Of individual officers by name to be
so relieved being left to future determina-
tion.
The junior member of the board will re-
cord the proceedings thereof. Upon the
conclusion Of the business before the board
the members who are not stationed in this
city will return to their proper stations.
The travel enjoined is necessary for the
public service.
By command of
LIEUTENANT GENERAL MILES.
H. c. CORBIN, Adtutant General
Major General u s Army