The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-03-28
Soldiers Journey Around the
World Cost Government
About $4,000.
SECRETARY TAFT TAKES UP
MATTER WITH COMMITTEE
Also Criticises Present System
of the Distribution
of Officers.

WASHINGTON. March 27-Secrctary
TAFT discussed yesterday with the senate
Committee on Military Affairs the recon-
mendatlon of the President regarding the
distribution OF army officers among the
army posts. He criticised the present
system, saying that II Is deficient In that
it does not afford officers an opportunity
for exercising command over large forces.
He attributed the system to- the fact
that In the earlier days many posts were
desirable the frontier and that 1t Is
difficult to discontinue Il system once cs-
tablished.
Some Improvement
Yet. he said there Is n tendency toward
an Improvement, as seen In the establish
ment or regimental posts in this country
ana or brigade posts In the Philippines.
Forts Riley, Leavcnworth. Russell and
sam houston, In this country, con. he
said, be easily transformed into brigade
posts At all those posts there are large
reservations. while to establish large
posts In the East would require vast out
lays to secure vancouver grounds 1t Is
not the purpose To do away with the
small posts. said the Secretary. nor would
IL be necessary TO do so.
Question of Expenses.
Senator Overman brought up the sub
ject OF travel pay. especially as To- the
payment of Cen. Woods expenses on tho
occasion OF his Visit to the United States
from the Philippines last summer for the
purpose of having n surgical operation
performed Secretary Taft said the lrst
intimation he had had that the General
desired to come TO Boston for the opera
ton was received in cablegram from
suffering from injuries received seven
years ago I'm the line Of duty. and he
asked secrecy because he did not want
TO alarm Gen. Woods mother
Would Draw His Salary.
Gen. Wood explained that he had no
means except his salary, and suggested
that he be on duty status, which the
Secretary told him could be done, his
aide, Capt Dorey, being permitted TO &C
company him. They had not travelled on
q transport because OF the crowded con-
dition OF those vessels. and vouchers for
mileage were Issued for the transporta-
ton for both the General and his aide
from Manila TO Boston. via Hongkong,
but the mileage from Manila to Hong
kong reduced because OF the use OF
the transport
Went to London.
The secretary said that the Boston
operation was not entirely satisfactory
to the generals friends In the United
States including the President; accord
| ingly the general remained here from July
J, when the operation was performed. un-
I'll August "a, when, Mt the suggestion OF
the surgeon general, the President Issued
an order directing Gen. Wood to return
to tho PHILIPPINES via London for the
purpose OF consulting n specialist there.
Accordingly. Military Secretary Ainsworth
Issued an order directing Wood to pro-
ceed TO London on confidential service
which the order said had been explained
TO the general by the President The en-
| tire trip of Wood and his aide around the
world had said tho secretary, cost the
government about 5000.
Witness Is Amused.
'Do you know OF any other officer who
| has travelled on a liner and had his ex-
pcnses paid instead of using a transport ?"
asked Senator Ovcrman.
This question, at which the witness
| laughed aloud. was followed by another
| inquiry as to whether Gen. Corbln had
| done so He replied that Corbin had not.
| Eive IT." In this connection he referred
| to his last summers trp to the Orient.
SAYING that he had told the army officers
| on that trip they would be allowed their
| expenses, but not mileage.
Mileage to Canton.
when we got 10 Hong Kong" he said.
| II received an order from the President
| to go 10 Canton to interview the Vlceroy
| on The boycott, and the officers uccom1
| panied me I'm uniform. Subsequently, |
| gave them an order for the pay of their
| mileage on that trip, supposng that II
| covered only their expenses to Canton
but | found aftcrward that IL had been
| construed as covering the entire trip to
| San Francisco. When this was explained
| to me | made a new order, which wasl
| the same as the order made in the Wood
| case Gen. Corbin came on a liner and
| paid his own expenses"
| Tho committee then adjourned until
! Wednesday