Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-15


and privilege Of retirement which condi-
lions are expected to attract to the service
competent dental surgeons The arrange
ment in the provision. included in the army
bill, is regarded by the surgeon general of
the army as out OF all proportion to the
needs OF the service.
Another attempt has been made to OBJ
tain legislation for the relief Of officers of
the army in whose cases adverse settle
ments have been made by the accounting
officers, due TO decision Of the supreme
court in the case of Dom c. Mitchell For
several years the War department has
sought to have congressional authority for
relieving these officers from the stoppage
! Of pay recommended by the accounting Of
ttcers These are the cases involving a
very large number OF officers who we're
regularly assigned to higher command by
competent authority and who were regu-
larly paid under the existing practice up to
March yiS, 1907. Acting on the decision of
the supreme court. the auditor for the War
department has presented to the War de-
fpartment the cases of thirty-seven officers.
requesting the stOppages be made against
their pay for amounts received in increased
pay tor the exercise of higher command.
Il
preciated that this represents only a small
percentage Of the number Of officers who
are subject to disallowance of a similar
nature, as the decision affects practically
every officer who drew higher command
pay. Hitherto there has been more or less
misconception of the matter in congress.
The necessary legislation was Incorporated
in the army appropriation bill in the senate.
Officers of the army who are interested
in Workmanship believe there would be
practical advantages derived from the en-
couragement of regimental rifle teams
Last year for the first time 1t was observed
\ there was a strong regimental team for
the regular service. The Fifteenth infantry
was represented on an infantry team in the
national match by one officer and five en-
listed men, so It was able to enter a very
strong regimental team in four important
regimental matches. 1t is believed that the
sending Of regimental teams to the national
and other matches should be encouraged
as it would create a decided interest in
rifle practice n regiments which turned
out good teams. Teams could be sent from
nearby posts without much expense. II the
matches are held at Camp Perry or Sparta,
teams from the regiments stationed at
Fort Sheridan. Benjamin Harrison, Fort
Wayne, Fort Thomas, and Fort Smelling
could easily be sent If the matches are
held at Sea Girt or in the east, the troops
at Plattsburg, Ethan Allen, Fort Jay, and
Madison Barracks could furnish teams.
These teams would require little extra
training, as these regimental matches are
usually shot at 200 GOO and 1000 yards slow
fire, or rapid fire, or skirmish.
Representative HUI, chairman of the
house military committee, in the course
OF the debate on the army appropriation
bill in the house. made a suggestion that
there should be a law which prevents the
alteration Of the army uniform. He was
not quite willing to go 20 the extent of
saying that congress should prescribe in
detail the uniform which should be worn
by officers and enlisted men of the mill
tary establishment, but he believed that
no alterations should be made by army
regulation without congregational permits
sion to that end This. OF course amounts
to practically the same thing in the end
that congress would control the style or
type Of army uniforms. This would have
the advantage, perhaps, Of checking any
change in army uniforms, but Il would
be by no means an assurance of any
such restriction This is shown by the
fact that in the debate there was some
question on the part of members as to
whether the olive drab or the khaki uni
form is the shade which contributes most
toward invisibility Of the wearer, and It
was suggested that gray would be the best
! color-and this, Notwithstanding the fact
that the existing uniform has been
adopted after careful and conscientious
experiments by those best qualified to
Judge. There would always be the chance
that congress would go off on, tangent
and be misled by those who entertained
decided Views concerning the uniforms, II
that question became- a matter of law.
The situation, as It now exists relating
TO army uniforms, is more satisfactory
than II has been in many years. The
policy OF the War Department Is to dis
courage any change, and this Is not by
any means because the department Is
lacking I'm suggestions which come from
many sources and are OF all degrees OF
utility, expense and originality. There
was time when congress might have
interfered, with propriety and profit, with
the departmental habit OF changing the
uniform but there seems now no justifi-
cation for such deprivation OF the milf
l fu- Of an adj NnFg