The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-10
WOULD RETIRE army
OFFICERS EACH YEAR.
GENERAL A. r. CHAFFEE DRAFTS
INTERESTING BILL.
Announcement Received at Fort Smell
ing Says Measure Provides for Crea-
tion of Vacancies by Retirement Of
Sufficient Number Of Officers to
Make Required Vacancies.

One Of the most important announce
ments made in recent years, as far as
officers of the army are concerned, has
been received at Fort Smelling, promul-.
gated by General Adna R. Chaffee,
chief of staff. It is that he has caused
the general staff to prepare a bill for
promotion by elimination, on a basis
somewhat similar to the naval personnel
bill, but without the feature Of volun-
tary retirements. There has been a
good deal Of agitation during the last
three years in favor Of promotion by
selection, by which young men should
have chance to be advanced to the
top of the service before growing too
old for their work. General Chaffee
does not favor this proposition, fearing
that it would lead to the use of politi-
cal infuence,- and work harm to the
service. But he has prepared bill,
called the elimination bill, which is be-
ieyed to combine all the good features
that could be practically secured by the
principle of selection, and which at the
same time secures to all officers promo
! tion by seniority, and protects them
against the use of pull
! His bill provides that every year
there shall be sufficient vacancies in the
grade of colonel to amount to % per
cent Of the number off lieutenant colo
nels awaiting promotion; in the grade
of lieutenant colonel ID per cent of: the
majors; in the grade Of majo a suf-
/ ficient number Of vacancies to care for
| s21a per cent of all the captains; and
that in case there are not enough va
cancies from natural causes in any
year, the secretary of war shall convene
board of five general officers, who
shall be sworn to perform their duty
with strict impartiality, and shall re-
commend for retirement a sufficient
number Of officers in each Of these
grades to make the required percentage
of the next lower grade.
The officers SO selected shall be those
adjudged to be the least efficient, and
shall be retired in the actual rank then
held by them, /. e., one grade lower
than that which would be now author
lied by the present system of, nging
on until the date Of promotion and re-
firing with the higher grade. In thus
eliminating the least efficient, the bill
would benefit the service in the same
way that promotion by selection would
do, by raising the general standard of
4 the service, and with even more GER
BY the application of this principle
the general staff hopes to insure fair
ness, and an officer will reach the rank
of command while still young and Wig
orous. 1t is already serious problem
how this end shall be attained. There
are many 1ieutenants over IS years oil
age who cannot expect captaincies be
fore they are So or 81 years old, un
less some such relief is given by law
The proposed law will not result
in any considerable increase of ex
pense, which is one thing that, recon-
mends it very highly at This. time; ant
it lis believed that it will attain til,
objects for which it was framed, which
are very necessary to the service.
In addition to these features, it alst
provides that the system of physica
examinations shall De extended to in
2 clude all officers below the grade O:
colonel; and by this. means it is prob
able that the" necessary number O.
retirements will be reached without re
course to compulsory retirement; tn
as recommended, :retiring the least eff
cient, there cannot be any=obiection t.
the application Of this principle. It i
not as if these, officers were to b.
thrown out without proper provision
they will be taken care Of in thei
lower grades, which will insure then
against want; and it is thought tn
service will be, benefited by the s.foV
Of healthy promotion that..will be ere
ated, as we'll as BY The Improvement il
$ personnel that will result. N