Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-26
WAR RULES REVISED.
Sweeping Changes Made in
Articles Governing Army.
CODE rs NOW ANTtoUATED
Regulations, Over Century Old, DO
Not Keet Service Conditions.
CONGRESS ASKED TO ACT.
Secretary stimson Details Necessity
for Legislation, Urging Favor
able Consideration.

II Congress acts favorably on the plans
Of the War Department, the articles Of
war which now govern the conduct Of the
army in time OF peace. as well "a in time
of war, will be. completely revised to
meet modern conditions. These articles
have been In operation for more than q
hundred years. and this 10 the first time
they have been revised. The work has
just been completed by Gen. Crowder,
Judge advocate general, who devoted close
study and several months. time to- it's con-
sideration. The result Of his delibera-
tons has been embodied In the draft OF
an entir,.y new code, to which Congress
has been asked to give the full force and
effect of law. Sc
In letter to Representative Hay. chair
man Of the House military COMMITTEES, de-
failing the necessity for the proposed
legislation, Secretary Stimson says that
the service conditions which the articles
Of war are intended to regulate have
changed greatly since their enactment
and that experience has demonstrated
clearly the inadaptability Of the existing
Change a Necessity.
1.-THE necessity for a comprehensive re-
emit Two such attempts at revision were
commenced by the War Department, the
first In 1888, and the other in 1903. The
need for it has been so insistent that my
predecessor. Secretary Dickinson. directed
dertake the labor Of revision. That labor
has been painstakinSiy prosecuted, and
the results are presented for your con-
sideration as the basis Of remedial legis-
lation.
The accompanying letter from the
judge advocate general to me submitting
his proposed revision sets forth very
clearly and concisely the theory Of his
undertaking and the details Of the sug-
gested changes deem II necessary.
to the following broad features Of the
project:
The revision was undertaken in the
conservative spirit that legislative re-
words, that which has successfully with
stood the test Of experience should be
retained, and changes and innovations
should be limited to the wisdom of ex-
perfence. AS q matter OF craftsmanship.
it has been sought to build on established
lines, and to conform in general to set
tied administrative and judicial con-
struction.
Articles Unsystematic.
''The existing articles are VIGOROUSLY
unsystematic and unscientifc. Inevitably
this condition hampers their easy and
effective enforcement. A careful CLASH
ficatfon has been made, disassociated leg
islation in the new articles Of war has
been incorporated therein. resulting in
an analytical. precise. comprehensive and
easily enforceable code.
Experience has disclosed q very seri-
nI1c IN he administration NJ military
justice. owing to limitations Of general
courts-martial. But the service needs to
go beyond these liberalizing changes as
to the constituency Of general courts. AS
the judge advocate general convincingly
shows. there Is need Of an intermediate
disciplinary court to deal with that large
proportion of cases midway between the
grave offenses calling for dismissal, dis
honorable discharge or detention, to be
disposed Of by general court-martial. and
the minor onenses calling for very light
punishment. which are now dealt with
by the summary courts.
Delay and Laxity.
Under existing conditions there is nee
essarily delay and laxity in the admins
tration Of military justice. with the re-
sulting impairment Of efficiency. / re-
gard the use Of this intermediate disci-
plinary court Of great Importance, and
one that Is bound to be productive of
much good"
Secretary Stimson says he has careful
ly studied in detail the proposed revision
and the reasons underlying the various
proposals. He adds that the whole prof.
that the chairmen of the congressional
committees on military affairs will urge
its enactment into law at the present
session of Congress.