Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-05

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Army officers are discussing with lively
interest the appointment which will be
made by President Taft to the grade Of
brigadier general in January. 1t is under
stood that senator's who nave to do with
nave signified to Mr.. Taft the desirability
Of combining these appointments to officers
who are not to be Immediately retired. The
recent ANNOUNCEMENT of appointments to the
grade, involving the retirement of three
officers, upon advancement, has attracted
col siderable attention at the capitol and
has been made the subject of much adverse
comment, which, Of course, is in no degree
directed against the officers who are recog-
nized as being entitled to the distinction
and reward conferred upon them. AT the
same time, 1t is also pointed out that these
retirernents have hitherto been the occasion
OF criticism in both the house and senate
and 1t has been stated that they are to fur
nish Representative Prince of Illinois, a
pre- minent and active member of the house
military committee, with an opportunity to
address the house when the army appro-
p~riation bill comes up for consideration
after the holiday recess. Under the circum-
stances and in view of the senatorial atti-
tude, as described to Mr.. Taft, 1t is ex-
pected the president will select as brigadler
general an officer who has at least a year
TO servo. There has been a rumor at the
War department that the senate would
refuse to confirm the officers whose APP
p~ointments have been announced and who
are to be promptly retired upon advance
ment; but there is no indication of such ad-
verse senatorial action or Of any intimation
to the president that the nominations should
/ MT no rnaHn nc 1iyan nnN a A.. W. a.
partment. The expectation is that some
colonel of infantry will be appointed to the
grade Of b%rigadier general in January,
largely on the showing that it is due to
that arm by virtue of it's proportionate
representation in the list of general officers.
The army medical authorities are much
gratified with the prospect of a large class
at the examination to be held in all parts
of the country on January II of candidates
for appointment to the army medical corps.
UP to this date there are siXty-four can
didates and 1t is expected the entire class
will number seYenty-five by the time the
examinations are held. There are already
four approved candidates who have passed
the examination and who will form a part
OF the next class at the army medical
school. 1t is hoped that enough of the
candidates will qualify to make an appre-
ciable showing toward filling the eighty
three vacancies which now exist in the
junior grade of the army medical corps.
The corps has been greatly benefited by
the legislation which increased and reor-
ganized that branch of the army. In 1867
the vacancies exceeded the new admissions
to the corps. In May, 1908, an examination
of fifty-eight candidates gave only nine
qualified men. In August of that year,
four months after the passage Of the reor-
ganization bill, there were 1928 applicants
and twenty-five accepted candidates. In
the period between October, 1905, and the
same month of 1909, by which time the ad-
vantages Of service In the corps have been
made known. there was a substantial in
crease in the number Of applicants and
accepted candidates. The records show
that in January and July Of 1909 go candi-
dates were examined and fifty-seyen were
accepted and the attendance at the medical
school this year is fifty-elght, as com
pared with ten in 1907 and thirty-three in
1908.