Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-15
NEW METHODS IN USE
SECRETARY ROOT ISSUES
SERIES OF INSTRUCTIONS.
Distribution Of Business Under the
Operation of the General staf
System o. the Army.

Secretary Root has issued a series of IN
structions relating to the methods OF pusi-
ness to be employed under the operation
of the general staff system and to the ois-
tribution of official business Of the War
Department. 1t Is provided that all busl-
ness Of the army coming clearly WITHIN the
scope and purview OF the duties imposed
by law upon the general staff corps and
the chief of staff shall be submitted by
chiefs of bureaus in person or in writing
directly to the chief of staff, to be acted
upon by him in conformity to the regula-
tons duly prescribed for that purpose by
the President or the Secretary of War.
All cases requiring the action Of the Sec
rotary Of War or the assistant secretary OF
war not submitted in person by the chief
of staff will be forwarded direct to the chief
clerk OF the War Department for distribu-
ton and action under the orders and in
struction of the Secretary of War or the
assistant secretary of war.
All other business requiring the action OF
the Secretary of War emanating from bu-
reaus of the department will be forwarded
direct to the chief clerk of the War De-
partment for distribution and action under
the orders and instructions of the Secretary
of War or the assistant secretary of war;
except such cases as in the judgment of
the chief of bureau concerned are of suffi-
Client Importance to necessitate personal
War or the assistant secretary Of war.
For Secretary's Decision.
The Secretary of War reserves for his
final action all cases involving questions
of policy, the establishment or reversal Of
presidents or matters of special or extraor-
binary Importance arising under the d.
vision or jurisdiction hereinafter set forth
and the following classes OF business:
National defense and fOrtffic9-
tons; board of ordnance and fertilization
and ordnance: estimates for all appropria-
tlons pertaining to the War Department;
appointments. promotions. retirements
courts-martial and all other important
questions relating to officers In the military
service; the establishment OF abandonment
OF military posts and other important mat
ters affecting their status; expenditures
from appropria tons for contingencies of
the army: general orders and amendments
to army regulations; military education:
nsular affairs
Assistant Secretary's Jurisdiction.
Subject to the foregoing conditions and
reservations. the jurisdiction of the as
sistant secretary of war will extend to the
following military and civil matters: Re-
cruiting service, discharges, Communication of
rations. Or quarters. courts-martial and all
other questions relating to enlisted men;
clemency for military prisoners: medals of
honor and certificates of merit: boards of
survey: sales of subsistence and quarter
masters stores to civilians: expenditures
for military posts; militia; business arising
unoer the laws pertaining to the navigabIe
waters OF the United States; PRIVILEGES of
occupancy of land under War Departmenf
CONTROL open market purchases: battlefield
commissions; calls for information or for
papers from the files and authentica tion of
| signatures of bureau chiefs; misceIIaneons
Claims and accounts; matters relating to
national GENET erieS: inventory and ;ps,ao
| ton reports
In Chief Clerks Charge.
| Under the immediate direction of the Sec
| rotary Of War and the assistant secretary
| OF war. the chief clerk of the War Depart
| ment Will have general supervision of the
records and correspondence of the secre-
| tary's office and the following classes of
| business:
| receipts. distribution and transmission of
the eiflelal mail OF the Office of the Secre-
| tary or War and correspondence with indi-
| vlduais on routine matters; apDointments
promotions and transfers In the civil serv,
ice and matters affecting the civil force
| of the War Department the departments ct
| large and the military governments: maj
! tefs relating to the clerical personnel of
the office of the Secretary of War: armv
| and War Department job printing and adj
vertislng business; War Department print
| ing and binding; War Department supplies
| ta) acquisitions for. (b) routine business.
/ supply division; routine calls for Informal
! ton from the records; publication of de-
eisfens and presidents; expenditures from
APPROPRIATIONS Tor contingent expenses and
| stationery for the War Department: all
| other matters of purely routine chara cter
| not involving questions of policy nor es-
| tablishing precedents. and not requiring the
personal action of the Secretary of War
| or the assistant secretary of war under the
| foregoing assignment