Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-30
Army Gossip

Preliminary reports have reached the
War department concerning the work %
far accomplished by the army board In
session at Rock Island for the purpose Of
reducing the burden Of the foot soldier.
The board, under Colonel II, A, Greene,
Tenth infantry, has taken up the question
in a most practical way. II has gone into
the subject with a th~oroughness which is
quite Unprecedented IN all the history
which relates TO efforts IN the same direc.
ton. The board is conducting tests in the
field, and It's final report will be based
on conclusions which are sound and which
have the advantage Of the demonstration
Of service. It is expected the work Of the
board will not be completed before March
or April.
The adjutant general Of the army has
had the records searched with a view to
showing the sources from which were APP
pointed commissioned officers Of the army.
II appears from these statistics that i9. G6
per cent OF the officers on the active list
Of the regular army october. IL were grad
yates from the United States Military ca
denny, that 1897 per cent Of those officers
were appointed from the army, and that
H""i wi N1hN WNI6 dEpulnleu lTOLA GlNll
life. or the 1897 per cent appointed from
civil life, A.& per cent had had prior Jerv-
ice in the army and 22.S9 per cent had had
no such prior service,
An interesting compilation has been made
in the adjutant generals office concerning
the most effective methods Of advertising
for recruits. The reports are in the line Of
the experience Of previous years IN favor
OF the sight of the recruiting flag and sta
ton and the use OF the recruiting poster,
which attracted more than half Of the APP
plicants for enlistment. Various methods
have been tried in a number Of the dis
tricts' such as advertising in street cars,
ferry house advertising, hand bills, painted
wall and fence signs, moving pictures, thea
ter curtains and a base ball score book.
The methods adopted by army recruiting
OFFICERS TO attract the attention of mon
who are likely to be candidates TOR enlist
ment have been varied and resouroeful.
The use Of newspaper advertisements was
discontinued last February.
several retirements Of army officers are
IN prospect as a result Of recommendations
made by boards before which these off
GERS have lately appeared for examination
as to physical fitness. Major Charles q.
Dwyer, Seventeenth infantry, who ap-
peared before a board at Governors island.
has been recommended for transfer from
the active list Another officer so recon-
mended is Colone! Edward B. Pratt, Thir-
tieth infantry, on duty at the Preside OF
San Francisco, TIL army retiring board
In the case of Captain A. A. Cabaniss,
IWenty-fourth infantry, on duty at Fort
| nnNawfl No.. vi
not physically disqualified for duty. Cap
tain Cabaniss recently appeared before the
board which was in session at Governors
Island and of which General Leonard
Wood was president. A delay has been
authorized in the examination for retire.
ment Of Major William L. Buck, Tenth in
fantry, who is in the army general hos
pital at Washington and who was recently
ordered before the retiring board In session
in Washington.
President Taft will shortly consider the
list of officers OF the army who may be
regarded as eligible to appointment as
brigadier general in the vacancy which
will take place on December 20, the date
upon which, It is understood, that Briga-
der General w S. Edgerly will be retired
upon the recommendation of the army re-
INNS bOaihy WHICH HSL at governors
island, with Major General Wood as pres
ident. General Edgerly would, ordinarily,
be retired on May 30, 1910, by operation of
Jaw, but his transfer from the active list
will occur next month on account of in
capacity for duty. He has been granted
leave Of absence until December %, and by
that time his successor will be announced.
Appointments to the grade Of brigadier
general during 1910 will occur on January
"A, when General J. G. d. Knight will re-
tire; on March 18, when General Charles
Morton ~retires, and on November IA, when
General A. L. Myer ~retires. A new chief
Of engineers will be appointed In June,
upon the retirement Of General W. L. Mar
shall.
The secretary Of war viii not issue or
ders for the ]stoppage of pay in the cases
Of those army officers who nave been re-
ported by the auditor for the War depart
ment as owing the government in amounts
respectively paid during the war with
Spain and in the Philippines later for Eek
ercising higher ommand' than that de-
volvtng upon them by virtue OF their
proper rank. Many officers have been UNI
expectedly confronted with an indebted
ness upon the finding of the auditor, and
the sums ranged from 800 to $4,000. As has
been pointed out in these columns, the
requirement, that such officers shall re-
fund to the Treasury department the
money, which has been paid them by army
~paymasters in good faith and received for
duties properly and actually performed,
operates as a distinct hardship. The War
department authorities made an effort 10
have the obligation removed by legisla-
ton at the last session of congress-. but,
out OF the army bill in conference. The
recommendation for the relief legislation
will be renewed at the coming session Of
congress, and, In the meantime. the secre-
tary Of war does not consider it necessary
to cause the stoppase of pay OF the Off
GERS SO untustly treated.