Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-21
GEN. CHAFFEE'S REMEDY
WOULD UTILIZE RETIRED OF.
FIcERS OF THE ARMY.
Would Relieve the Drain on the Active
List-Draft Of Bill SUBJ y
mitted

Lieut.. Gen. Chaffee, chief of staff. has In
vited Secretary Roots attention to the i'm
pairment of the efficiency of the army,
which results from the very large number
of commissioned officers on the active list
who. through the requirements of existing
law and the necessities of the service are
detached from their proper arm or corps 4
From statements submitted by Gen.
Chaffee it appears that there are at PRESENT.
42S officers of the active list detailed away
from their proper arms or corps for de-
tached service within the army for stated
periods, and that the law authorizes, and
the necessities of the service may require
In the near future. that this number be in
creased by, approximately, II men. 1t fur
Their appears that there are 50 officers of
the active list similarly detached for duty
outside of the army under laws which per-
nit the number to be increased to some
thing more than 200 In other words, he
says, there is a minimum number of OFF,
GERS detached for service, both within and
without the army. of 4S2, and an approx
mate maximum of 700 When to these
numbers there Is added the large number
of officers of necessity temporarily with
drawn from their customary duties in at
tendance upon militia encampments
members of special boards and for other
similar duties, or through sickness or
leave of absence, the percentage of absen-
teeism In the army is shown to be very
great, and the difficulty of properly officer
ing organizations of troops and of main
tanning their instruction and discipline
stands fully revealed
To Utilize Retired Officers
Zone remedy for the evils herein pointed
out" says Gen. Chaffee, SIS to increase the
number of officers on the active list, but 1t
is not thought that Congress could be In
duced to grant such increase in sufficient
numbers to afford adequate relief. \ bet
ter remedy, and one which seems to be en-
foo cih &c tn
to perform all of the detached service with
in or without the army which does not In
volve arduous service, and which for this
reason is presumably within the compe-
tency of retired officers to perform Col
lege duty, duty as Indian agents and duty
with the organized militia are examples OF
detached service without the army which
retired officers can efficiently perform, and
recruiting duty an example of detached
service within the army which is clearly
within the ability of many retired officers:
nor is any reason perceived why certain
staff duty, both within and without the
army not involving service with troops,
should not be performed by retired officers.
1t is certainly not an unreasonable require
ment. considering the generous provision
which the government makes for its retired
officers to exact from them the class of du-
ties here specified.
81 have therefore to propose the amend
ment of section 1925. r. s., section 20, of
the act of January p, 1903. and the act of
July 13. 1892 so as to limit details to duty
with educational institutions, with the or
ganized militia and as Indian agents to re-
tired officers, and that legislative authority
be requested for the employment of such
officers in the discretion of the Secretary
of War. on recruiting duty as military at
taches and staff duties not involving serv-
ice with troops; all retired officers so de-
tailed to receive the full pay and allow
ances Of their grade.
Draft Of Bill Submitted.
"a form of bill is submitted herewith.
which. if enacted into law, will accomplish
this and enable the department to at once
restore to their proper arm and corps and
to their appropriate duties ninety-eight OFF,
GERS of the active list now detached there
from: some further reduction in the num-
Der detached could be made by substituting
retired officers for active officers in the per-
Torrance of staff duties.
1.-THE necessity for the relief here sought
is very great, and can be secured in the
manner indicated without sacrificing the
efficiency of the service to be rendered and
at q minimum expense to the government.
The only alternative which would afford
relief. namely. a suitable increase in the
number of officers on the active list. would
involve so large an expense as to be pro-
hibitive."