Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-08

DlSllICl VI W.
lumbia Militia, the bill provid-
ing for a reorganization of the
local brigade of citizen soldiery, so that
it will conform in organization to the
army of the United States. has been re-
drafted and will probably be- introduced
in Congress tomorrow. The indications
are that the bill will be enacted at an
early date. as every possible effort will be
made to that end.
One of the most important provisions of
the bill, which has received the approval
of the commanding general, is the scheme
of promotion. Up to this time officers, ex-
cept those of the staff, have received
commissions as the result of election by
the enlisted man. This has resulted, in
many instances, as a serious drawback.
For INSTANCE, man receives authority to
organize company. He promises another
man commission as first lieutenant If
the latter, say, shall succeed in recruiting
fifteen men. Assurance Is given to an
other individual that he will be rewarded
with the second lieutenancy in the event
he supplies ten men, and so on. Later,
perhaps, the first lieutenant has griev-
ance. and announces that he intends to
withdraw from the organization and take
his fifteen men with him. The result is
plain. Another phase of the situation IS
that the officers commissioned as a result
of election are, to large extent, under
obligations to the men who elected them,
which is regarded as handicap to eff
ticiency.
4k
To the end that the men wearing
shoulder straps shall be thoroughly mill
tary, and officers in every sense of the
word, Col. Brett has evolved a scheme of
promotion which, it is thought, will cor
rect the evils to which reference has been
made.
The bill provides that vacancies exist
ing or hereafter occurring in the cavalry
coast artillery corps, field artillery, and
infantry above the grade of second lieu
tenant shall, subject to the examination
required by law. be filled by promotion
according to seniority from the next lower
grade in the troops, the separate COM
pany. the field battery, the separate bat
tation or the regiment in which the
vacancy occurs All appointments TO the
grade of second lieutenant shall be from
the enlisted men, under regulations pre-
scribed by the commanding general and
subject to examination.
X 4
In other words. it is the intention to es-
tablish regimental and separate organiza-
ton bureaus of recruiting. The bureaus
will conduct examinations and exercise
general supervision of the matter. 1t is
explained. for example, If there should be
a vacancy in the list II captains of the I'd
Regiment, the senior first lieutenant of
the regiment. no matter to which COM
pany he might be attached. would be en-
titled to the promotion. The same pro-
cedure would be followed in the event of
the vacancy among the first lieutenants.
If a second lieutenant should be needed,
No. 1 man on a list of eligibles made up
of enlisted men, who had passed re-
commission.
Provision is made in the bill for the
STATS of regiments. consisting OF ad1utant,
quartermaster and commissary, to be APP
pointed by the regimental commander
from the captains of the regiment, and
the staff officers of battalions to be ap-
pointed from the lieutenants by the regi-
mental commander on recommendation of
the battalion commander.
y X
The National Guard, If the bill is enact
ed. will consist of one brigader general
an adjutant generals department, an in
spector generals department. a judge ad-
vocate generals department. a quarter
masters department, subsistence de-
partment, a medical department and hos
pital corps, a pay department, a corps OF
engineers an ordnance department, a sig
nal corps, coast artillery corps, two regl-
ments and one separate battalion of infan
try, four companies of coast artillery, 9
troop of cavalry and one battery of fielC
artillery 1t is stipulated that the Presi
dent of the United States, the commander
in-chief shall have power to alter, divide
annex. consolidate disband or reorganizt
the same whenever in his judgment the
efficiency of the forces will be thereby
increased.
The bill provides that the adjutant gen
erals department shall consist of the ad
jutant general of the militia of the Dis
trict of Columbia, with the rank of lieu
tenant colonel. and one adjutant general
with the rank of major: inspector gen
erals department. one inspector general
with rank of major; judge advocate gen
erals department, one judge advocat,
general. with rank of major; quarter
masters department. one quartermaste
general with rank of major; one quarter
master. with rank of captain. and TIVE
post quartermaster sergeants: subsis
tence department, one commissary gen
eral. with rank of major; one commissary
with rank of captain, and two post com
missary sergeants: medical department
one surgeon general, with rank of lieuten
ant colonel: three surgeons. with rank o
major: seven assistant surgeons, will
rank of captains; eight assistant surgeons
with rank of first lieutenant. and a hos
pital corps; four sergeants. first class
seventeen sergeants and sixty-one pri
Yates, first class and privates.
The commanding general shall assign
medical officers and enlisted mon OF tn
Hospital Corps to duty With the brigade