Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-25
ARMY BILL IN SENATE
Item in Regard to Retired
Officers Pay.
Mr.. LODGES CRITICISM
SAYS IT WAS AIMED AT LIEUT..
GEN. MILES.
Mr., LODGES CRITICISM
Senators Spooner, Plat and Others Op'
pose It, While Proctor Defends
the Paragraph.

In the Senate today the oath of office as
a senator was administered to Mr. Knox
for the short term closing on March next
and his credentials for the long term be-
ginning March 4 were presented by MS
colleague, Mr.. Penrose. Mr.. Alger also
presented the credentials of Mr.. Burrows
for the six-year term beginning next March
On motion Of Mr.. Hale the Senate post
poned the hour of meeting tomorrow until
1 O'Clock to permit senators to attend the
wedding of the daughter of Senator War
rem.
At the instance of Mr.. Clay a resolution
calling upon the Post Office Department for
information covering the dealings of that
department with the railroads since 1873
was adopted.
The army appropriation Dill was theh
taken UP.
The Retired Officers Salary Item.
When the provision in the bill depriving
retired officers of the army who have mill
tia appointments from full pay was reach
ed Mr.. Lodge moved to strike 1t out, say
ing that il was aimed at Gen. Miles, who
mad taken office in connection with the
militia of Massachusetts. He denounced the
provision as needless and unjust, especially
IN its retroactive feature. He would ad-
mit he said, that the pay of lieutenant
general which would be received by Gen.
Miles is large, but If he was to do active
duty in the militia there was no reason why
he should not be paid for it, II do not
think" he said 'that it is becoming or
desirable to pass such legislation as this
and make it retroactive He reasserted MS
opinion that the provision is aimed at a
specific officer and expressed his regret that
the committee on military affairs had not
stricken the provision out.
Mr. Scott did not believe Mr.. Lodges as
sumption that the provision is aimed at an
Individual officer, and Mr.. Lodge replied
that the debate in the House had developed
such to be the case. "6
Mr.. Platt's Criticism.
Mr.. Platt (Conn) criticised the provision
as obscure and expressed the opinion that
it is calculated to do injury. He said that
as he construed the measure it prohibits
higher pay than major to any retired Of
ficer, no matter what his pay, if he accepts
service on active duty.
Mr. Suooner also took this view and op-
posed the provision. He thought it should
be omitted from the bill because wrong in
principle, but he did not agree that it is
necessarily aimed at General Miles. cit
is he said "a cowardly way of prevent
ing the assignment of general officers to
active duty. 1t affects a class" he went
on, "and is not necessarily aimed at any
individual. 1t has come to be that any
thing which touches General Miles, even
though it include hundred others. is re-
g;arded by General Miles and others as di-
rected especially at him.
Mr.. Proctor's Statement.
Mr.. Proctor. Mr.. Warren, Mr.. Cockrell
and other senators did not accept the view
that the effect OF the amendment would be
to reduce the pay of officers of higher
grade to that of a major, but Mr.. Spoouer
said that he could not accept that view.
'"The intention plainly is,'' Mr.. Procto Or
started to say mot plainly" interrupted
Mr. Spooner, but what is the intention?''
1.-The intention continued Mr.. Proctor
SIS that retired brigadier general doing
active duty shall receive three-fourths
of his active pay and allowances.