The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-07
ARMY PAY BILL IS
 PASSED BY SENATE Officers GetvlnCreaSe of Five to
 Twenty-Five Per Cent BIG RAISE FOR PRIVATES Six Months Pay Is To Be Given To Families of Officers and Enlisted
 Men at Death-Navy Men
 Are To Get Equal Pay.
BIG RAISE FOR PRIVATES

Washington, March 6.-The army pay
 bill was passed by the Senate today. The
 bill provides for army officers a graded
 increase of pay. ranging from per cent
 for lieutenant generals to 25 per cent for
 junior officers. It also provides that the
 average pay of enlisted men of the army
 as now established, is increased 40 per
 cent
 This amendment suggested by MT Gull
 person of Texas, takes away the discre-
 tion of the President in fixing the pay
 of soldiers. MT. Warren offered com
 mittee amendment, which was adopted,
 providing that nothing in the bill shall
 be interpreted as affecting the pay in
 the navy.
 MT, Teller spoke on the bill reverting
 to the debate on giving the President dis etion in fixing the pay of the army, and said that if the power of the Presi- dent is ever to be increased it should
 be by an amendment to the constitution. He declared that great armies have often
 had power to name the chief executive
 of nations and contended that there should
 be no authority given the President to
 fix the pay of soldiers, however remote
 might seem danger from that source.
 Senator Scott read letter from a
 banker who stated army officers pay 3
 per cent interest per month to have
 their salaries discounted because their
 incomes are so small.
 An amendment was offered by Mr.
 Bacon and adopted, giving two months
 tp fn ,,Fn
 death. Senator McLaurin suggested that
 survivors of enlisted men be given the
 same consideration of two months pay,
 as provided in the case of officers. Mir.
 McLaurin said he did not think any distinction should be made between off
 cers and men in this respect and espe- cially as the officers have many ad-
 vantages, due to their positions while living
 Mr. Warren suggested that officers spend their lives in the service while
 enlisted men are there during shorter periods. He believed in giving equal treatment, but thought the eases might not be found parallel.
 T am unwilling that this discrimination shall be made against the private soldier, said MT. McLaurin In this country it Is presumed one man is as good as another. It may be the enlisted man is not able to get commission or an educatio necessary to enter the academy but he ought to be treated as an American cfti- zen and this discrimination ought not to be made"
 Mir. Warren and Mir. Teller both ap- proved of the principle of Mr Bacon < amendment and tbaf two months pay be given relatives of officers at death. Upon that suggestion i Mr. Bacon changed the amendment 10 allow six months pay at death As passed by the Senate this provision applied equally to officers and enlisted men. The navy pay bill equalizlng the pay Of officers of the navy and marine crops with the pay of officers of the army, was ordered reported fdvorably to the House today by the committee on naval affairs That committee also agreed to report favorably the bill extending to rear ad- mirals who were retired by the passage of the navy personnel act in 1899 the benefits of that act whereby the rate of their re- tired pay will be increased.
 Agreement was reached by the cor,mi.- tee to report favorably the naval militia bill introduced by Chairman Foss, which gives the navy department control oyer the naval militia.
 The committee had under consideration the Bates bill relating to chaplains In the navy It provides that the number of chaplains shall not exceed 4S, that eight of them shall have the rank of captain 10 the rank of commander, and not more than 10 the rank of lieutenant commander and others the rank of lieutenant Chap lain G. Livingston Baird assisted the com mittee in support of the bill. No action was taken.