Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-05
CLOTHING THE ARMY
PLAN OF ACTING QUARTERMAs-
TER GENERAL PATTEN.
Would Provide New Uniforms to the
Troops on Their Return From
the Philippines.

The Secretary of War has approved
plan for the issue of army clothing to
regular troops and national guardsmen. in
Guiding the new uniform. in accordance
with the recommendations Of Acting Quar-
termaster General Patten.
The details of the proposed plan are out
lined in memorandum prepared by Col
onel Patten, as follows:
Referring to general orders No. 1872, H.
@. A. A. G.. O.. 1902. making changes in
the uniform of the army, it is therein pro-
vided that issues by the quartermaster's
department of the various articles of uni
form for the enlisted men. wherein changes
have been made will commence as soon as
the present available supply of correspond
ing articles has been exhausted.
Two Important Conditions.
s'How best to accomplish the issue of the
articles of the old pattern uniform has been
a matter of much study, two important
conditions having to be considered. name
ly: 1. How to arrange so as to leave the
least amount for final condemnation and
sale. g How to accomplish the change
from old to new uniform and as far as
possible avoid having the uniform mixed
in the same command
'It is evident that the desired results can
be best obtained by taking up one organi-
ing 1t under the new order. and thus let
the change throughout the army be grad
ual and the time of its final accomplish
ment be determined by the supplies to be
issued. Thus the number Of organizations
to wear the old uniform will be constantly
diminished and the best opportunity offered
thereby for exhausting the old stock to the
fullest extent practicable.
aside from the question OF exhaustfng
supplies in store is the problem OF chang
ing the uniforms of commands from the
old to the new with the least expense to
the enlisted man or the United States. Re.
quests from organizations and parts OF
organizations now fully equipped with the
old uniform are being received for issue Oh
the new uniform. To comply with these re-
quests would mean to discard, at the ex-
pense of either the government or the en-
listed man. much Of the uniform now In
possession of these organizations. Com
plant will arise If this be done at the e1-
pense of the soldier and that the expense
should be borne by the quartermaSters de-
partment is a matter of serious considera-
ton as for the entire army it would amount
to probably more than two million dollars.
On Return From Philippines.
''To keep this loss down to the minimum
it would seem very desirable that issues OF
the new uniform commence with organize
lions returning from the Philippines, as
after a tour Of service in those islands the
commands have practically no articles OF
wooden uniform in their possession and the
prospect of three or four years service In
the states justifies their entire equipment
with the new uniform. 1t is suggested that
the first regiment to be thus equipped be
the 9Th Infantry, which is to arrive in New
York probably in August next and that
organizations subsequently arriving from
the Philippines be treated in similar man
ner.
Under existing orders the artillery corps
and engineer troops serving In the United
States wear the old full dress uniform.
This should be continued until the stock
on hand is exhausted, except in the case
of battalions companies returning from
service in the Philippines.
ut is believed that issues of the new
articles Of uniform to state troops should
not be made until the United States troops
are entirely equipped.
II respectfully recommend that action
on the foregoing lines be authorized If
such Is done and chief quartermasters in
formed the army generally will know what
to expect"
The Acting Secretary Approves.
Assistant Secretary Sanger approved the
method recommend for the issue Of new
uniforms to the regular army, and in do
ing so made the following statement:
while it is desirable to equip the state
troops as soon as possible, it is not thought
that this should be done If 1t delays the
equipment of the army. The matter should
be so handled by the quartermaster gen.
eral as will secure the equipment Of both
services as soon as practicable"