Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-27

the Army ana Navy Register.
Major General Frederick n. Grant,
commanding the Department Of the Lakes,
was in command OF the recent military
tournament at Toledo, and on the final
day OF the tournament gave expression
to his opinions as to an increase of the
army, both of officers and enlisted men,
He is quoted as being in favor of a stand
ing army Of 10000 men and that there
should be additional officers to take the
places Of those on detached duty. This
matter was thoroughly thrashed out be-
fore the house military committee during
the last session Of congress. General Bell
and other officers on duty in Washington
were heard and a vast amount Of liter
sture, bearing on the subject. including
reports as to the serious shortages in the
personnel of various regiments, was sub
mitted for the information OF congressman.
They were so little impressed with the
gravity of the situation as affecting dis
cipline and efficiency, that they did not
think It of sufficient Importance to report
the bill for the appointment of 62 adj
ditional officers. II with all this fund OF
expert information, so little impression
was made upon the congressional mind,
It seems that some more heroic method
should be adopted. A suggestion of this
was recently made in the Army and Navy
Register when the idea of ordering the
return of all officers on detached duty to
their respective posts was advanced. This
would occasion such a practical demon
s~tration of the desirabllity of having Of
Ulcers on detached duty that there is little
doubt that more favorable notice would
be given the recommendations for an in
crease of officers. With the air charged
with economy, It is hardly possible that
any increase whatever will be made dur
ing the next session of congress.
An important amendment has been made
to the order relating to the army uniform
so that the white uniform with side arms
becomes a summer full dress uniform to
be used on official occasions with the
same effect as the full dress uniform
hitherto. This will be a change which
will be greatly appreciated by those Of
Ulcers who have been obliged in hot
weather to retain the full dress uniform.
The naval officers may in the summer
wear the white uniform on official occa-
sions and the same ccusideration has now
been given to the army officers. In other
respects the revision of the order relat-
ing to the army uniform is held up in the
general staff of the War department. 1t
Is being carefully considered by various
officers and in the light of recommends
ton made from numerous sources. The
qu~artermaster general of the army has
recently recommended, for instance, that
the standing collar be placed on the ser
vice coats Of officers and enlisted men
instead of the rolling collar. The general
staff is awaiting samples of the standing
collar before making recommendation in
the matter. The idea is that the standing
collar imparts a smarter effect" to the
uniform. II was intended to adopt this
collar at the time the enlisted mans uni
from was improved some time ago, but
Mr.. Roosevelt expressed himself decidedly
against any such change.
The army appropriation act enacted at
the last congress provided extra pay for
enlisted men employed on extra duty in
the subsistence department for periods of
not less than ten days at rates fixed by
law and extra duty pay at rates fixed by
the secretary OF war for mess ewarts
and cooks at recruit depots who are to be
graduates at the schools for bakers and
cooks and for instructor cooks at such
schools. The following rates of extra pay
and designations have been authorized
by the secretary of war at the three
schools: Instructors, first class, to receive
extra duty pay at the rate OF 81 per day;
instructors, second class, to receive extra
duty pay at the rate Of 80 cents per day.
The number OF men In each class is left
to the discretion Of the commanding gen.
eral of the Department OF California in
the case Of the school at San Francisco;
to the commanding general of the Depart
ment of the East in the case of the school
at Washington barracks, and to the com
mandants OF the Mounted Service school in
the Ease Of the school at Fort Riley.
Much benefit will be derived by the sys-
tenn Of army cooks and bakers schools
from the provision in the latest army ap-
preparation act of extra duty pay for the
instructors at those institutions, which
compensation became available after July
/. This places the instructors on an ade-
quate compensation at the schools at
Washington Barracks, Fort Riley and the
Preside OF San Francisco. 1t is not likely
that a school for cooks and bakers will
be established at Manila, as was at one
time contemplated, but the authorities en-
terrain the hope hat it will be possible
some day to organize reglmental schools.
A board of officers was recently con-
vened by the commandant of the service
schools at Fort L~eavenworth, with a view
to division Of quarters at that post be-
tween officers Of the post and those at
tached to the schools. The War depart
ment has approved the recommendation
from that source that there be no ex-
change or borrowing OF quarters between
the schools and post except for a period not
exceeding three months.
PERSONAL NOTES.