The Washington herald., 1907-01-10
WANT TO KEEP GRADE
Office of Lieutenant General
Subject of Fight.
ARMY MANEUvERs DENOUNCED
House Of Representative Discusses
the Value at the Yearly Encamp-
and the Expenditure for Target
Practice-Commende as Profitable.

It has been found necessary TO resort
10 the use Of "A rule in the House Of Rep
resentauves to accomplish the desire Or
the Committee on Military Affairs, that
the Office Of lieutenant general of the army
cease and determine with the retirement OF
Gen. Macarthur in 1888. Nr. Hull. chair
man Of the committee. and Mr.. Grosye-
nor agreed, discussing the proposition in
the army appropriation bin that the SEN
ilmeut Of the House was in favor Of
aboishing the office. Some surprise was
felt yesterday when Mr. Cooper, Of Wis
consin. objected 10 the provision 10 abolish
the place, thereby compelling its omis-
sion from the bill Later, a resolution
was introduced making the paragraph in
order, and il is understood that the Com
mittee on Rules viii report the resoIu-
( ton tomorrow
Mr.. Cooper declined to say that ne had
any one in mind u succeed Gen. Mae
Arthur as lieutenant general. but said he
desired TO keep the provision out Of the
bill.
/ When, in the course Of the considera-
I ton Of the army appropriation bin by
I the House Of Representatives yesterday.
the item Of 100000 for field maueuvers
/ in connection with the national guard
J Was reached, Mr.. Hay moved 10 strike
I II out He said the expenditure was not
justified by the results obtained In the
way Of instruction to the troops.
A running debate eusued. AIr. GrCsve-
nor declared the attempt 20 improve the
State militia by means Of these naneuvers
was absurd. So far a s the people Of his
section were concerned. he said they
wanted never again 20 see "One Of these
c0nglOmerate performances. He related
the facts of the unfortunate collision at
night on the streets Of Athens between q
party of regular artillerymen on their
way 10 the Jail 10 release Il comrade un-
der arrest and the guard Of the Ohio
militia. in which Sergeant Clark, in COM
mand Of the guard. was killed and several
persons wounded - army officer was
ever called upon for report Of the oc-
cUrrence, and the feeble and futile efforts
Of the local authorities 10 arrest the mur-
deTers, Mr- GrOsvenoT said. met the oppO-
sitiOn of regular army officers and Of the
War Department.
No CoIored TrOps There.
Were there any colored troopsg" asked
NIT. Crumpacher.
NO coIored troops replied AIr Gros-
venor.
Mr. Grosvenor described the Uaneuver-
ing al the Athens encampment. the only
one he ever saw, and hope I may never
witness another" he continued. "Regu-
lar batteries were transported from Fort
Sheridan and cavalry from every direc-
tion; infantry Of the regular army were
brought there. and militia regiments from
various sections Of the State. and they
went through some sort OF a perform
ance there for two or three days Among
the rest they had sham battle, and
they undertook 10 maneuver on a large
scale. as an army would maEeuver. Well.
have served four years and upward in
the army at a time Of active service tn
war, and with a single exception I never
saw any regiment, brigade division, bat
terry, or squadron ever mancUver either in
camp or IN battle upon any OF the mag
uifCent plans and details that they uu-
dertook 20 perform down there, and they
might just as well have had show and
a performance on a slack rope and exhi-
bitions Of equestrianism for the benefit
Of the militia of Ohio as TO have the per
formance they did have
Target Practice Commended.
Antagonizing the appropriation for field
maneuyers, Mr. Hepburn drew from his
colleague (Afr. HulD the admission that
target practice. for which the bill carried
an appropriation Of S1.3o0.o0o. was of in
finitely more advantage TO the army than
maneuvers. He denounced the expendi-
ture for the latter purpose as an absolute
waste Of money.
The motion Of Mr.. Hay 70 strike out the
appropriation Of a million dollars was
lost-27 20 80.
Upon points OF order several items Of
proposed legislation were stricken from
the bill. among them the following:
Giving the commanding officer at any
post or headquarters or office of chief OF
staff authority 60 appoint clerks and other
employees.
Authorizing the sale OF supplies 20 sub
sistence stores in Cuba or the Philippine
Islands.
tion Of laundries at military posts.
Providing for the sale of fuel 10 officers
on the active list.
Prohibiting the expenditure Of any
money for brigade posts except by author
ity Of Congress.
This disposed Of thirty pages Of the bill,
when the committee rose.
Mr. Smith Rep-. Iowa. reported the
fortihcations appropriation bill. and at
AS o'clock the House adjourned.