The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-01-09
GENERAL BELL IN
FAVOR OF PLAN
Endorses Recommendations That
win Prevent Forced staff
Changes.
tFrom Mondays AdvortIser.)

The latest report Of Major General
franklin Bell, commanding tho divi.
sion Of the Philippines, has just been
received at headquarters here and indi.
Gates a very satisfactory condition
among the troops stationed In those
Islands. General Bell gives the mum.
Der OF men in his command as; Reg
ulars, officers ZOE, men II, le6; Philip
pine scouts, officers 169, men 5465; 3
total force Of 1902.
General Bell incorporates in his re-.
port an important recommendation OF
Colonel Heistand, his adutant general,
regarding the detail of staff officers and
line officers to duties away from their
corps. The division commander en-
dotses the recommendations of the adj
utant general, which are embodied in
the following:
"When an officer who is detailed
from the line and is serving in a staff
corps receives his promotion in his
proper arm Of the service it becomes
necessary to relieve him from duty in
the staff. Under these circumstances
the prospective promotion of the officer
frequently operates to prevent his de-
tail, and the condition, at best, results
in rapid change of personnel in the
staff corps as well as in the line. It
is expensive to the government, ineoa.
venient for individual officers, reduces
the advantages of the detail system,
and Injuries both the line and the star
by destroying the efficiency Of both. -
Parnmmenda Ramndv.
AS remedy that win enable an Of.
ficer once detailed to the staff to COM
plete his tour of four years the follow
ing recommendation is made by Colonel
Heistand, with view to having it
enacted into law:
''Provided that when an officer Of the
line of the Army who is serving Rs 9
member Of a STAFF by detail under pro
vision of section 26, act of February
9, 1901, and section 3, act Of Febru.
AIRY IA, 1908, shall, while 80 serving,
be promoted to the next higher grade,
he may continue to serve in such staff
corps as an extra officer of tho grade
to which he is promoted, and the mum.
Der of officers in such staR coTpa in the
next lower grade shall be corresponds
ingly reduced until such officer is ro-
lieved, when his successor shall be de-
tailed from the grade held by such Of.
ficer at the time Of his detail in such
staff department, and,
provided, further, that nothing IN
this law shall be construed to increase
the total number of officers in the Army
nor to increase or decrease ths total
number of officers in any staff corps at
now provided by law"
General Bell Favora Change.
Commenting upon the recommends
tions of the adjutant general, Genera
Bell says:
"'fn the above remarks by Colonel
Heistand is discussed serious defect
of tho law. 1t is the particular one
which has caused more dissatisfaction
than any other. It should be.rectifed
and it is believed that this Legislative
provision will correct serious defect in
the law constituting detailed star.
When the detailed system for stat
departments was adopted our Army had
no previous experience by which to be
guided in drafting the law, says Gen
eral Bell, and under such circumstances
it would have been remarkable had q
law been drawn which proved satisfac
tory when applied in all its details
There are defects in the provisions OF
the law which have constituted good
ground for some of the dissatisfaction
which has been exhibited by some OF
the staff departments.
General Bell makes a further appea,
for white clothes for the enlisted meE
of his division. He says that the of
icers of the inspector generals de
partmeIt arc convinced that owing t.
the GOODNESS and comfort of the white
clothes the war department should make
some provision for clothing the Army
in the Philippines in some light, white
material.