Evening star., 1903-09-26

officers of the general staff of the nllit1a.
In fact. when anything has beer. rceded for
which other funds We're available. tie
general staff officers have Invariably stood
the cost, and very likely will continue to 40
In view of the foregoing. it is learned
at headquarters, the alleged course of
field officer in criticising the commanding
general in regard 20 Il matter of adni.iiStra-
ton is considered to be gross i:nplopriety,
and radical action viii likely be taken in the
case.
Services Rendered at Sea Girt.
A significant communication, signed by
Adjutant General Brett, of which the fol-
lowing is copy, was received today py
each member of the detachment that rep
resented the National Guard of the Dis
trict of Columbia at the recent Sea Girt
meeting.
"The command ng general wishes me to
express to you his regret that any officer
officers of this brigade should have given
you cause for comment or criticism in the
matter of pay for services rendered at the
recent meeting of Sea GIrt, N. J..
1T has never been the intention of these
headquarters that the funds provided by
section II of the new militia law should be
used for such purpose, and there has never
been suggest. on that the brigade team
those accompanying it should receive
Unit ed States pay.
Those who planned such disbursement
made no mention of their plans to the COM
authority to say what should be done, and
even went 50 far as to prepare the rolls
and secure the signatures
The first intimation of the pay purposes
made to the commanding general was the
placing before him of the rolls for his ap-
proval.
The rolls VII not be approved, for two
reasons, which must surely be satisfactory
to all
First: No authority was given any one
to prepare the papers, nor was the intention
to prepare them known to these headquar-
ters.
Second 1t was not the plan OF these
headquarters to use the funds of section IA
for any such purpose, because other uses
are calculated to produce better general re-
suits.
The responsibility for anv chaertn or
disappointment suffered by you in this mat
ter must be borne by those who proceeded
without Information and authority"
Approval of Regulations Sought.
The adjutant general. United States army.
has acknowledged the receipt from General
HarrleS OF a letter to the President re-
questlng the latter's approval of certain
regulations relating TO boards of examina-
ton to determine the moral. professional
and physical fitness of commissioned OFF,
GERS of the local brigade to hold their
o1nces and to create retired list for COM
miSSiOned officers.
For the first paragraph of the proposed
regulations the following has been approved
and will be adopted:
w hen an officer of the militia of the Dis
tr1ct of Columbia becomes untitled for the
performance of his duty for any reason.
his immediate commanding officer will re-
port the facts to the adtutant general for
the action of the commanding general of
the militia.
here the report. In his opinion, justi-
hes such action and In similar cases of
officers of whom he is the immediate com
mander, the commanding general will make
report to the commander-in-chief, recon-
mending that such officer be ordered before
a board of examlna ton. authorized by sec
ton "a of the act of Congress approved
March /. 1889.
The report in each case will contain
specific statements and the names of wit
nesses by whom they can be substan-
tiated.'
So far as the second regulation proposed
Is concerned. the composition of the organ
lied militia of the District of Columbia is,
1t is explained by the War Department al
ready fixed by law. and to add to 1T a retir-
ed list is clearly beyond the scope Of any
regulation. The proposed retirement regu-
lation has therefore been dsapproved The
matter. however. will very likely to be the
subject of legislation at the coming session
of Congress.