Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-12
FEEDING THE ARMY
Annual Report of the Com
missary General.
EXPENSE WAS $685. ESQ
LOSSES DURING THE YEAR
AMOUNTED TO OVER $500, 900.
Urgently Recommends Legislation
Whereby This Great Waste May
Be Avoided.
EXPENSE WAS SO, 28l, $50

A mass Of interesting information re-
! garding the feeding of the army is con-
tanned in the annual report of General
| Weston, commissary general. The total
| expenditures on that account during the
| past fiscal year were IS. $50. leaving an
| unexpended balance of 81 ,2S5.277. During
| the year the losses were $41S.6J0 in the
| Philippines, $7,467 on transports and $129,-
| S53 in the United States, Alaska, Porto
| Rico and elsewhere. From the total
amount of losses is to be deducted the sum
| of $S5,9s0, the proceeds of sales at auc-
| tons of damaged and deteriorated stores,
| etc. General Weston says that 1t Is diff
cult and often impossible to prevent losses
on perishable stores. The losses have been
large and unavoidable In the case of fresh
vegetables. and in a great measure in the
cases Of bacon and fresh beef and other
perishable stores. Losses are due prin-
cipally to long and difficult water and in
land transportation and to trying climatic
conditions. and not to any lack of care and
effort to protect and preserve stores. The
rapid abandonment of posts also resulted
in large losses This was particularly the
case in the Philippines.
/ To Sell Excess Provisions.
General Weston makes urgent recon-
mendation for the passage of a bill by
Congress to give authority to all officers
entrusted with the disbursement of sub
sistence funds to hold restricted amounts of
such funds in their personal possession.
He says the exigencies of the public serv-'
Ice require an open disregard of the re-
strictiOnS of the existing law in cities where
the treasurer or an assistant treasurer IS
located. He again urges the necessity of
legislation authorizing the sale at public
auction or subsistence stores in good con-
dition which may at any time accumulate
In excess, at any depot or point of supply
and which cannot advantageously or eco
nomically be transported to other points
for issue or sale to troops.
He also renewS the recommendation that
has been made in eighteen annual reports
by commssaries general since 1877, for the
enlistment of bakers in the army, and If
such enlistment is not authorized he advo-
Gates an increase in the pay of men hired
to perform that service. General Weston
regards the position of a baker al a post
as an important one. He says the bread
ration is al all times most essential ele
ment of the soldiers fare. and its quality
has much to do with satisfactory sIbsist-
ence of the troops.
Subsistence in the Philippines.
According to the report the transfer of
troops in the Philippines to and from the
United States, shifting of troops rapid
abandonment of posts difficulties of trans
portation, trying climatic conditions and
other matters help to make the feeding OF
the army in the Philippines difficult prob
lem. But says General Weston, ut has
been successfully solved and subsistence at
| fairs in the archipelago now run with sys-
| tenn and economy. BY. closest attention to
the market and all matters pertaining to
supply. the subsistence department was en-
abled to make contract for the fiscal year
| 1905 for the finest quality of fresh beef by
which an annual saving of over $14O,0OO was
w hn Won't rf for
the previous fiscal year. The running
penses have gradually been reduced to a
minimum and the saving of upward of
$4,000 made In wages of civilian employees
alone"
Credit for these results is given to Colonel
Henry G. Sharpe, chief commissary of the
Philippine division. 1t Is stated that the.
quality of beef was excellent
Charged Against Civil Government.
The money value of subsistence stores
charged against the civil government of
the Philippines account of issues made
by the subsistence department to Filipino
convicts, scouts, destitutes civil employees
and white civil scouts was $2O3. 100 The
collections on that account amounted to
S5S,656 leaving a balance due the SUBJ
sistence department of s145,O53. General
Weston says that under the provisions OF
the act of April %, 1904. and the decision
OF the Secretary of War Hereunder the
entire balance of S145,053 due the subsist-
ence department from the civil government
of the Philippines was without further pay
ment. declared to be settled and satisfied.
The District Militia.
Gen. Weston makes the acknowledgements
about the District of Columbia militia
The militia of the District of Columbia
were supplied in July. under the provisions
of the act of March 1, 1889, and by direc-
ton Of the Secretary of War; rations to
the value of 81 1856 Al. 1t is the opinion of
this office that the expenses of the regular
encampment of the entire organized militia
OF the country are fully provided for under
the act Of January 81, 1903. The act itself
embodies an extensive scheme to promote
the efficiency of the organized militia of
the states, territories and the District of
Columbia, and it is believed that Congress
intended to place the militia of the whole
country on the same basis and not to make
an exception in favor OF that of the District
of Columbia by which ii may share the
benefits of two appropriations for IDENTICAL
ly the same thing, as 1t would practically
do If allowed the benefits arising under the
act of March !, 1889. and the act of jan
uary 81, 1903. which enlarged the applca-
ton of the act of June 6, 1900
Larger Clerical Force Needed
Regarding the clerical force of his office,
Gen. Weston says:
1.-The clerical force of this Office is efficient
and deserving. 1t has been steadily reduced
for over three years and at the close of
the year it was necessary to discharge two
clerks and transfer two clerks to meet a
cut in the allotment to this Office for the
temporary force. Even with the extension
of the extra half hour to the official day
and diligent effort on the part of every
clerk, many of whom labored before and
after office hours to keep up their work,
the present force Is not equal to demands
upon it. The practice of working overtime
and the continual labor under pressure are
not good for the work or the worker and
is hardship upon those who thus willing
ly strive to do what in all fairness a larger
force is necessary to carry on. In addition
to what is required for the regular estab-
lishment, a great amount of labor has been
entailed upon this office on account of the
militia. in the way of acquisitions. esti-
mates. letters. Endorsements. examina lions
Of accounts and returns. records, ETC., which