New-York tribune., 1909-07-21
RADICAL ARMY CHANGE
TO END DETAIL SYSTEM.
Secretary Dickinson Considering
Recommendations to Congress.
From The Tribune Bureau ]

,,-.snirstor I,II, eN-so serious Is the problem
growing out of the assignment OF of1cers Vi tio nm
of the army staff duty. thus depr1vlhs liue IN
mands OF their proper quota OF o1hce'S' '"0t ~
Secretary of War is being urged to incorporate III
his forthcoming annual report an urgent recon-, recon-
rnendation to Congress that the so-called de'aH
system" be abolished, at least in part
It is proposed that only the junior places IN the
special STAFF corps-that OF major in me ahJuiai'
generals and inspector generals departments thaC
OF captain in the quarterrnasters. subsistence ana
pay departments and that of captain and hrst Ieu-
tenant in the signal corps-shan be hHed by ue
detail of line officers Line officers so detaed' II -
proposed shall serve their tour OF duty and theh
return to the line, where they are greatly heeueu'
This will not 50 completely divert them from their
line duties, while it will enable these officers 70
obtain acquaintance With the duties or sian
officers which is regarded OF practical Value 1t
IS further proposed have the senior grades mica
by the appointment out and out of officers who have
served in detailed capacity and have proved ther
usefulness staff duty. In this way there wouid
be furnished a permanent personnel IN the upper
grades of the staff departments and I'm the junior
grades detailed personnel from which the Psrtla-
officers may safely and probably be selected
The reports OF the department comma nder5
which are now reaching Secretary Dickinson ana
win be made public after they have been studied
by the Secretary. are devoting much attention TO
this situation. and number OF them describe the
conditions resulting from the long absence OF line
mental tho discipline ana efficiency Of the line.
The present system was adopted part or
the reorganization of the army brought about by
Senator Root when he Secretary OF War. the
most important feature OF which was the creation
OF the General Staff. At that time the permanent
personnel Of the special staff corps was abolished
and since then vacancies they have occurred IN
the quartern1aster's. pay, subsistence, adjutsnt
generals and inspector generals departments ana
the signal corps have been filled by detail Of Of
Loot
this duty line officer of the grade next below
that to be filed in the staff. so that the assign
nent might carry with it promotion for tho ofn-
Ger chosen and for the junior advanced to the
place temporarily vacated Rotation in these de
tails has made it possible make promotion
condition which Will last until all the PLACES IN
the staT corps have been filed by detail While
this has had its immediate advantage for the ;n-
dividual selected for stan duty and the Junior pro-
roted TO ths vacancy thus caused, Il has had thu
effect Of depriving line commands OF more than
seven hundred officers Of all grades. from colonel
TO second lieutenant inclusive. II is this change
which has caused much confusion and has resulted
IN depriving many troops, batteries and companies
OF their captains, IN many respects the most I'M
poTtsnt OF commanding officers. It fcreseen that
with the retirement OF senior officers in the sPe-
cisl stan corps # win he moro and more difficult
70 oil their places by details from the line
one of the difficulties encountered at present Is
getting senior officers 10 sorve with the staff This
IS especially 50 IN the or CplonclS. although
that grade has been reached only IN the detail
system. Nov three colonels OF the line are de
ecrih@d being anxious 20 return - their regt-
ments There IS colonel with the inspector gen
erals department, and there three lieutenant
colonels n the adjutant generals department In
time OF VAT II ts foreseen that these line officers
whether tlsey are nr-t ueutenants. captains or
colonies win desire at 20 return 70 their line
Certainly no colonel OF cavalry reg1-
rnent VIII wish stay with the General stan or IN
the sdiutsut generals department. a captain OF
an infantry company will not be Contented 10 be
q quRrtermastcr q commissary when there is
any nghtng 10 do Il IS predicted. therefore. that
there viii bs utter failure Of the purpose Of the
detail originally forth by the authors
OF the legislation who believe that in time OF war
these line officers having been trained for staff
duties would be much better-ss they undoubtedly |
would be-than men selected from the volunteers
who obtained such places by political and per |
souaI preference.
The time is rapidly approaching when there must |
be some modification OF the system II mas been |
in vogue and this years reports OF department |
and heads Of staf corps contain some
pertinent references to tie subject and emphatic
recomu endatons for relief The situation is - |
garded in some quarters one Of the most serious
OF those with which the military administration |
must cope.