Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-06
FOR CHINESE INVASION
Senator Hale Says Plans Have
Been Prepared.
BLAMES GENERAL STAFF
Relies Upon Judgment of the Secre-
tary of State.
MEDICAL CORPS BILL OPPOSED
Criticises the Creation of Brigadier
Generals-Considerat of the
Indian Bill in the House.
MEDICAL CORPS BILL OPPOSED

4 ..
| Ciapp, McCumher and Dubois were appoint
| ed as a committee to confer with like
| committee from the House on the blll pro-
viding for the settlement of the affairs OF
| Eve civilized tribes of Indians.
! Mr.. Clapp gave notice of a speech to-
morrow on the railroad question. and Mr..
| Culberson of a speech Monday the same
| subject In giving his notice Mr. Culberson
| said that If the railroad rate bill should
| be then before the Senate he would speak
on the bill itself. This intimation elected
| from Mr.. Tillman. In charge of the bill.
| the statement that he would endeavor to
have the rate bill taken up as soon as the
statehood bill was disposed of.
To Improve Medical Corps.
The bill providing for the increase of the
| efficiency of the medical department OF the
army called up by Mr.. Warren and
Mr.. Hale spoke in opposition to 1t. He said
| that the bill one ofsmany prepared by
| the general staff Of the army, intended to
accomplish the increase of the army. He
| did not believe that in view OF present con-
ditions such movement was desirable, and
| called especial attention to the state OF the
treasury as reason why the plan Of en-
laraement should not be entered upon He
added a word expressing his conviction that
the plan was that of the general STAFF. and
not of the Secretary of War.
''All these bills have their root there he
said. II find that this staff dealing with
an army of $4,000 men, is disporting itself
as the general staffs In Europe do-as in
Germany, for instance, where there is an
army of 100000 or 100000 men. While the
plans pursued were proper there where
each country was surrounded by powerful
neighbors, 1t was not proper here. where
there was no danger.
Invasion of China.
In this connection Mr.. Hale said that the
general staff had prepared plans for the
invasion of China by an American army.
but he added that lie did not mean to go
into that subject, for with the Secretary
of State sitting the lid l do not believe
we are likely to have war"
The last statement brought Mr.. Tillman
TO his feet with the suggestion that If the
Secretary of State is sitting the lid ana
the Secretary of War is trying to pry him
off it will go off, because of the greater
avoirdupois of the head of the War Depart
ment
Without entering into the jest, Mr.. Hale
replied that he was willing to trust the
Secretary of War in this matter, notwlth-
standing he had transmitted the recon-
mendations of the staff He added the
statement that the STAFF was taking upon
itself the responsibility for the conduct or
the War Department. 1t was. he said, tho
purpose of that organization to invade
China, which would be a declaration or
war.
a
Mr.. Tillman. who asked how many troops
had been sent to the Philippines with
view of their being sent to China, and Mr..
Hale said:
Il do not know how many troops have
been sent there. but ! think several thou
sand The purpose of the general staff is
that they may be used If any emergency
arises. or can be made to invade China,
which of course would be a declaration of
war while Congress is in session.
Mr.. Warren called attention to the fact
IL. ..9.lx
this bill the medical corps of the army
would still be smaller than that of the
navy, but Mr. Hale contended that there
was no analogy between the two branches
of the service. The army was not, he
said. increasing the navy was. and he
argued that there no necessity for any
increase in this time of profound peace.
He thought the navy had need for a larger
medical corps than the army and believed
the contract surgeon system better for the
army than ironclad list of medical Of
ficers.
Number of Generals Criticised.
Mr.. Hale also spoke of the great ex-
pense of the retired list, saying that in
the last three years we have retired more
brigadier generals than were ever retired
before in the same time, even after a
great war. He also said that the navy
list was something startling.
Mr.. Warren replied to the last sugges-
tion by saying that IL was due largely
to the bill of last session retiring officers
who had served In the civil war with
increased rank, and called attention to
the fact that Mr.. Hale had supported that
measure.
Mr.. Hale responded that the Increase
was due, not to the civil war, but to the
fact that officers were given increased
rank for very brief time, in some cases
only for a day. in order to give them
better rank in retirement
Mr.. Warren took exception TO Mr..
Hale's statement that the pending bill
was one of many looking to an increase
of the army, declaring that 1t was not
intended for that purpose and that no
increase in expenditure would result from
the passage OF the bill.
Mr.. Pettus in support of the bill said
that the statistics show that three out
of four men who die in war die as the
result of disease. and he quoted statistics
to show that the Japanese had changed
the figures and said that results has
been accomplished by the attention which
the Japanese give to their medical de-
partment. He contended also for the
Importance of rank on the part of the
medical officers, urging that very little
attention is paid to contract surgeons
In the army because of the lack of au-
thority.
Al o'clock the statehood bill dis
placed the Army Medical Corps bill. and
Mr. Long addressed the Senate III support
of the Joint statehood bill as reported
by the committee.
Thursday Senator Patterson will speak
against the bill, and he will be followed
al 2 o'clock by Senator Beyeridge, who
will close the debate in favor of the bill
on behalf of the committee on territories.
of which he is chairman.
unTrcE oF REpREgENTA