Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-21

1t will not. The exceeding Amount of con
s:deration 1t has received ffo.n the PEG
pie OF the nation has been. wholly noS
partisan; and the Congress set its non
partisan seal upon it when the monetar!
commission was. appointed In commend
ing the question to the favorable consid
GRAFTON Of Congress-. I speak for, and IL
the spirit Of. the great number of my
fellow-citizens who without any though
Of party or partisanship feel with remark
able earnestness that this reform is neces
sary to the interests of all the people.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
There is now. before Congress bill. thu
purpose of which is to increase the eff
cheney and decrease the expense Of the
army. 1t contains four principal features
First, consolidation of the general staf1
with the adjutant generals and the in
spector generals departments; second, q
consolidation of the quartermaster's de-
partment with the subsistence and the
pay departments: third, the creation of an
army service corps: and fourth. an extern
sion of the enlistment period from three
to five years.
With the establishment of an army
service corps. as proposed in the bill,
am thoroughly in accord and am con-
WINGED that the establishment of such a
corps will result in a material economy
and a very great increase of efficiency in
the army. 1t has repeatedly been recon-
mended by me and my predecessors. /
also believe that q consolidation of the
staff corps can be made with a resulting
increase in efficiency and economy, but
not along the lines provided the bill un-
der consideration.
which would be to- break up or: interfere
with the essential principles Of the detail
system in the staff corps established by
the act of February 2. 1901, and I am OPP
posed to any tplan--the result of which
would be to give to the officer selected as
the general staff corps greater .perma-
nency of office than he now has. Under
the existing law neither the chief of staff
nor any other member Of the general staff
corps can remain in office for a period of
more than four years. and there must be
an interval. OF two years between success
sive tours of duty. T.. - -
The bin referred to provides that cer-
tain persons shall become permanent
members OF the general staff corps. and
that certain others are subject to redetail
without an interval of two years. Such
provision is lfrahght with danger to the
welfare of the, army. and would practical
ly nullify the main purpose of the law
creating the general staff.
Too Few omeers Now.
In making the consultations no re-
duction should be made in the total
number of officers Of the army, of
form the duties imposed by law.
crease in the number of officers by 900
In order to provide sufficient officers
to perform all classes Of staff duty
and to reduce the number of line
officers detached from their commands.
Congress at the last session increased
the total number of officers by 200.
but this is not enough. Promotion in
the line of the army is too slow
Officers do not attain command rank
at any age early enough properly to exer-
else it. 1t would be mistake further to
retard this already slow promotion by
throwing back into the line Of the
army number OF high ranking officers
to be absorbed as is provided in the
proposed plan of consolidation.
Another feature Of the bill which l
believe to be a mistake is the pro-
posed increase in the term of enlist
ment from three to five years. / be-
lieve it would be better to enlist men
for six years. release them at the end
of three years from active service, and
put them in reserve for the remaining
three years. Re-enlistments should be
largely confined to the non-commis-
stoned officers and other enlisted men
in the skilled grades. This plan, by
the payment Of a comparatively small
during the three years
Of reserve. would keep large body of
men at the call of the government,
trained and ready for service, and able
to meet anV pVippncy
The army Of the United States is in
good condition. 1t showed Itself able
to meet an emergency in the success
full mobilization of an army division
took place along the border of Mex
leo during the recent disturbances in
that country. The marvellous freedom
from the ordinary camp diseases of
typhoid fever and measles is referred
to in the report of the Secretary of
IN the sanitary regulations and treat
ment of the Medical Corps. and in the
discipline of the army itself. as to in
yoke the highest commentator.
AMPHITHEATER AT
ARLINGTON.
1 beg to renew my recommendation of
asst year that the Congress appropriate
ton, Va. the funds required to construct
L upon the plans already approved.
TIE PANAMA CANAL.
The very satisfactory progress made on
the Panama canal last year has con-
tinued, and there is every reason to be-
ieve that the canal will be completed as
early as the 1st OF July, 1913, unless some
Thing unforeseen Occ,rs- THE 10 oJ,r,,f