The Washington times., 1906-07-08
Var

now in its initial stages at the War De-
partment, where the details OF the
scheme are being worked out In the Of
fee of the Military Secretary. It in
wolves the making Of double portraits
of the entire United States Army. num-
bering between e5.O0o and 10.OO0 men. or
a total of nearly 10000 photographs. The
plan announced in general orders also
provides for a photograph Of every re-
cruit hereafter entering the service.
This, however, Is but the beginning
OF the work. as the new system of iden-
tifcation also provides for the taking of
finger prints Of each man, the iflpres-
slons to be preserved IN the archives OF
the department as a portion Of the sol
dier's record. Figuring upon the I'm
pressions OF each OF the ten fingers of
the individual and the Impression OF
the five fingers Of each hand taken to-
gether ,here viii be a total OF twelve
finger print Impressions for each indi-
vidual. or a total OF i.6So. 900 impressions.
Necessary apparatus and supplies for
this vast project have already been
provided by the Medical Department
and distributed throughout the world
wherever United States troops are sta
toned. The immediate work OF gather
ing this data viii be intrusted 10 the
officers Of that department. beginning
September !. when the system goes into
effect. 4 brief personal description
added 70 the Photographic and finger
print record VIII, it Is believed. make
Identification ia the army absolutely
certain,
While the gathering OF this data is an
appalling enterprise in itself. the sys-
/ tematizing of II when forwarded to
Washington vii be hardly less gigantic
and with this end in view the identld-
cation division viii probably be entirely
reorganized and many additions to it's
! personnel authorized. The detail work
of inaugurating the system is now in
the hands OF a board OF officers, serving
under the military secretary. who have
completed the greater part OF their
/ labors.
Crabbs to Become Major.
In the opinion OF many who are close
! Iy conversant with the workings of the
| War Department, no promotion in the
official stan has been more deserved
than that of Capt. Joseph T. Crabbs.
who viii shortly be made a major and
I
younger members OF the branch Of the
/ service in which ne is serving. he has
| from the first attracted the attention OF
| the quartermaster general By his execu-
/ tive ability and extraordinary powers
as an organizer. It was for this reason
/ that no was ordered in from the field
/ and placed in charge OF :he work OF
| reOrganizing the business methods Of
/ the quagtermaster generals Office. Here
! he has more than fulfilled the expecta-
/ tions of his superior officers and has
I evoked favorable comment from the
Secretary OF War.
Saturday Half Holiday Pleases.
As was to be expected. the additional
l half hour tackled on to the Saturday
/ half holiday. as inaugurated yesterday
! afternoon. met with universal favor
| throughout the department. For several
years past IL has been the custom to
/ close the department at o'clock Satur-
I day afternoon during July. August, and
/ September, but beginning yesterday an
/ order went into effect making the clos
\ ing hour 1890 In view OF the pressure
/ of work. incident TO the beginning OF
/ the new fiscal year, some few of the
| employees remained over 70 catch up
with their work. but the great majority
| left the building promptly on the hour,
/ happy IN the realization that the busi-
ness OF the entire department is IN bet
/ ter shape than It has ever before been
at this early date in the new year.
General Edwards Improving.
Reports from Fort Rayard are most
| encouraging as 20 the condition OF Brig
/ Gen Clarence r. Edwards, the chief of
/ the BureaE of Insuiar Affairs, who, his
/ friends now predict, Will be back at his
/ desk early in the fall. or not later than
| the 1st Of November at the outside
| General Edwards has been fortunate in
/ confining the Tuberculosis symptoms to
/ his throat and bronchial regions, which
/ are rapidly improving with the outdoor
/ lIfe and modern expert treatment 10
/ which he is subjected
Transferred From the Field.
! Among the employees whose transfer
| from the field service 10 the War De-
/ partInent proper has been consummated
/ under authority Of the recent appropria-
| ton bin which provided many new
/ places. is Charles p. Daily. who is prob
! ably one of the most experienced quar-
/ termastsrs employed in the service. Mr..
/ DAILY comes from a military family, and
! for many years lived at Fort Riley.
Kan. At the outbreak Of the war with
! Spain he resigned position with one Of
/ the great railroad companies and went
I 10 Cube as chief clerk to Major Ale
Shire. with whom he has been closely
identified ever since. He was with the
! China expedition IN 1900. after which he
/ spent several years in duty in the
! PHILIPPINES as the chief clerk OF the
/ gerat Manila depot from which was dis
/ fributnd supplies for the entire army
| throughout the archipelago. He was
/ brought 10 Washington several years
ago for temporary service. and has since
proved one of the most valuable men in
/ the department
On Permanent Rolls.
/ Another Of the employees who has been
| pIaced on the permanent rolls of the
| denartment, to the loss Of the depart
ment at large, is Joseph A. McGeary,
whose memory Is an infallible storehouse
of useful knowledge on all things per-
tanning To the branch Of the service
/ WITH which he has been connected No
| matter what information is desired con-
| cern{ng the Philippines or China cam
| DaiguF the first inclination is to ask Joe
! 49, rare that fyITf her