Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-12-27


ment Some time ago transactions Of this
kind were disapproved by the comptroller
VINO held that there is no authority in
the laws OF congress for the purchase OF
furniture from public funds for sale to
army officers or other persons for their
private use or for the transportation Of
such furniture at public expense" Many
requests have been received from officers.
especially those at staff departments who
do not live in public buildings. for the
privilege Of buying this furniture. 1t is
proposed to have restrictions upon the
sale and to make no such transfers when
they VIII in any way interfere with the
interests Of the service.
The secretary OF war has under consider
alton the appointment of civilian to sue
coed General r. j. Henderson as a mem
Der of the army board of ordinance and
fertilization. General Henderson has oc-
cupied a place on that board since 1899
his predecessors being General b. M
Cutcheon, formerly a representative from
michigan, for whom the position was Gre
ated, and General j. H. Outwalte for
merly representative from Ohio The logi-
cal selection for the position would be
Representative J. A. 7. Hull, who will
terminate his congressional career on
March T. after long and faithful service
as chairman of the house military COM
mittee. He is admirably equipped in all
respects, by virtue OF experience and
knowledge Of military matters. to serve
as civilian member of this board The
president is said to have under considera-
ton for the place former Senator f. M
Cockrel Of Missouri. who entered the SEN
ate as a democrat in 1876. and who has
been in recent years a member of the
Interstate Commerce commission.
While the members OF the house mill
tary committee have been duly impressed
with the representations made to them in
various forms during the present session
in the hearings of the secretary of war,
chief OF staff, and chief signal officer OF
the army on the subject of army aero
nautics, there is little chance that con-
gress will be induced 20 make a special
provision for this purpose. Representative
Hull, chairman of the house military com
mttee, believes that something should be
done, especially as mechanical flight has
reached a stage when it may be consid-
cred as beyond the experimental and when
IL gives some assurance of military utility.
The disposition of congress IL, however,
to do as little as possible, out of the or
binary, and the provision for an aeronautic
branch of the army signal corps, properly
equipped with machines and the attendant
installation and necessary structures will
doubtless be regarded in congress as ex-
traQrdinary.
The army officers at Fort Socum ~ y,
have been in something of quandary
regarding the disposition of a sum Of money
amounting TO nearly $3.50 which has been
on deposit with the commanding officer of
the recruiting depot at that place. This
sum was recovered from two soldiers, who
were, convicted of participation in the rob-
berry Of one f. L. Murphy. a civilian, in
New Rochelle. N. Y, on the night of Sep
TENDER s. of the sum OF about S2CO An inves-
tigation showed that Murphy was a fugitive
from justice he was charged with making
way with from $500 to S7OO belonging to
the Players club of New York City. The
question arose at Fort 'Slocum as to the
disposition Of the money. under the circum-
stances The War department has ad-
vlsed the commanding officer at Fort Slo-
cum that as II is clear that the money is
not the property OF the government, It
should be delivered to the owner on salts
factory proof OF title. The officers at Fort
Slocum will, therefore, communicate with
the secretary or treasurer Of the Players
club and that organization win acquire a
part Of the funds stolen from it by it's
former clerk, who in turn, was robbed by
the two soldiers.
1t is barely possible that congress viii
take up the question OF the detail Of line
officers of the army to duty with the
special staff corps Nothing in that direc-
ton may be accomplished or even at
tempted during the present session of con-
gress, but there are signs that the system
Is not regarded with favor at the capitol.
1t has come in for more or less criticism
on several occasions. the latest being the
debate which was invoked by the presenta-
ton of the bill giving clerks TO army pay
masters the privilege of retirement. Some
Of the members Of the house military
committee are quite convinced that
there should be a change in the existing
conditions, especially in view Of the
recommendations which have been made by
nearly all of the heads Of the staff corps
II any change is made, Il is likely that
the detail system will apply to the Junior
grades In the various staff departments |
with permanency Of personnel in the other
positions. There is no intimation that there |
is any likelihood OF a change I'm the method |
Of detailing bureau chiefs as is the prevail |
ing practice
The indications are that the steady ad- !
vance in the average cost Of the ration Of /,
the army will find that rate "a cents before |
the end OF the fiscal year According TO !
the latest statistics obtainable, the cost is !
now 2S.3 cents. This, however does not |
include the cost of transportation which |
some Of the members Of the house military /
committee believe should be added, and to /
this end the quartermaster general was |
called upon to furnish the amount expended \
on account Of transportation OF subsistence |
stores during the fiscal year 1910 which |
amount was S29sO43 The administration !
compelled the commlssary general last /
year to make a reduction I'm his estimates |
for subsistence, with the result that there i
will be a deficiency this year Of at least
q. 10000, and possibly sl,5OOOOO. The re-
duction was made evidently with the idea
Of creating the impression that economy
had been effected, whereas nothing Of the
sort was accomplished or could have been