Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-03-13

to reduce the number Of military aidos
which have attended the two former
presidents
1t became known to-day that Major
Thomas T." Rhodes, rnitod States army,
VINO was military aide and medical adj
wiser to President Taft, had recommended
that the present corps of l. officers oh
the army navy and marine corps be cut
in half. Furthermore, President Wilson
probably will dispense with the prcsonc.
Of uniformed aide in his travels abou,
the country.
The present system ~ a personal
military staff at the White House was
created by President Roosevelt and con.
tlnued by President Taft. Major Archi.
bald w. Butt, who lost his life in the
Titanic disaster. was responsible fuI
establishing the present custom Of wear
inS fun dress uniform while accompany.
ing the the former president.
lie felt. that as he was on duty, ne
should conform to the regulations and
appear IN uniform. His understanding OF
the regulations was accepted by hiz
brother officers on duty at tho White
House.
ORGANIXtNG NEW DEPARTMENT.
ment of labor. with Secretary William 3.
Wilson at It's head, was In fun swing ia
day. but dependent upon the cha ritv %
Secretary of Commerce Redfield for quar-
ters. Organizing the new department as
expeditiouslv ns possible, Secretary VII
son sits In the room formerly occupied
by the ommissioner-general of immigra-
| tion. As no appropriation has yet been
1
| Wilson not only is serving without sal
airy for the time being, but cannot hire
| Office quarters
| The new department consists of the
| old bureau Of labor, changed to the bu
reau OF labor statistics. the bureaus Of
| immgratlons and naturalization and the
children's bureau.
From the old department of commerce
and labor, the department of commerce
retains the bureaus of corporations, cen
sus foreign and domestic commerce.
standards. fisheries lighthouses and naN
cation, coast and geo1ctic survo, and
steamboat inspection service.
Secretary Redneld has appointed Z
| Grant Smith Of Brooklyn, y. Y, as his
| private secretary.
PROGRESSIVE CONTROI,,ADVANC
! Washington, March 6-Progreseivo
democratic control OF tho Senate was ad-
vanced another important stage to-day in
/ the second days session Of the caucus of
democratic senators. The choice yester-
| day Of Senator Kern OF Indiana as Sen
| ate leader was followed to-day by tho
! selection of a democratic Organization
committee on which the leaders of tho
so-called progressive forces were in com
| plete control.
| The steering committee which is to
map out n program of reorganization 10
! determine the entire question of control
! was announced by Senator Kern as fol-
! lows: Senator's Kern. chairman. Martin.
| CLARKE of Arkansas, Chamberlain. owen.
O'Gorman, Smith Of Georgia, Lea and
! Thomas.
For several hours tho Democrats
argued behind closed doors over the
! minor problems connected with their con-
| troll OF the smaller branch Of Congress
All questions Of Senate patronage Wore
referred to "A special committee consistinl,
| of Senators Ovcrmau, Shively, Johnson.
! Hitchcock and Williams. The choice ~
Senate offlcersswas put over until to-
morrow when the caucus is tn be resuul-
ed. It IS expected that Senator Bacon
will he elected president pro tenn, but
there are many active candidates for tn,
positions OF secretary and srrseant-at-
arms.
While the democrats We're in session,
the republican steering committee, con
sisting of Senator's Lodge Warren, Mel
son. Penrose, Smoot, La Toilette, Bran
dcgee, crawford, Jones and Fall, can
vassed the committee lists to determin'
what positions they would ask for. A
delegation. consisting Of Senators Nelson
and Smoot, was sent over to the demo
cratic caucus to learn what arrangement
the democrats intended to make about
giving minority appointments to the re
ipublicans, but no plans had been agreed
upon by the democrats.
1t is anticipated that the democratic
plans for naming committees will not
be completed for some time. The active
leaders Of the progressive forces are in
sistent that the places on the important
committees shall be distributed evenly
among al! democrats and the worl. Of o.
sanitation is TO be pursued slowly.
APPOINTED BY BUR1EsON
Washington, March s,-aIerritt o.
Chance Of the commission on efficiency
and economy was to-day appointed chief
= cleri OF the postotfice department Us
Postmaster General Burieson. Mr.. Chanr'
has previously been connected with thc
postottice department and for a time VA
secretary TO Senator Root when IL.
, latter was secretary OF war.
= THREE IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS