New-York tribune., 1913-11-09
SEEK DISCIPLINE OFFICERS
War Department Heads Consid-
ering Detention Barracks Plan.
tFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington, November g.

| tOU, november ..
NEW ARMY DISCIPLINARY sYs-
| TEM.-The War Department is confront.
ed with serious problem in the selection
of the officers to form the commissioned
personnel Of the disciplinary companies
which are a part Of the organization al
the various deception barracks and art
to take the place Of military prisons un
der scheme recommended by the Judge
advocate general Of the army and ap-
| proved by the Secretary Of War.
One OF these companies will be organ
| lied within few weeks at Fort Jay, Gov
ernors Island. Four will be at Leaven-
worth, Kan. and one or two at some
point on the Pacific Coast, where the de-
tention barracks are to be established
after the War Department abolishes the
military prison at Alca traz Island. In Sar
Francisco Bay, ard turns that island over
to the Department Of Labor for use as ar
immigration station.
It is intended that those inmates OF the
military prisons who are guilty only OF
minor Offences which are not crimes in
any sense, shall be formed into these dis
cipinary companies and drilled all day
long in an effort to make them over. They
will be subject to discipline and given val
liable instruction instead Of being pun
ished. II Is believed that this method VIII
result in much benefit to the service, re-
turning the men TO the colors more pro-
ficient and better disciplined than ever
before.
IL is appreciated by the military au-
thorities that much, II not everything, de-
pends upon the officers selected to COM
mand and instruct these men. Trained
and carefully chosen commissioned
officers will be detailed as instructors.
Commissioned officers will have general
supervision The recommendations and in
clnations Of many OF the officers are now
being considered with view to the des-
.gnation OF those needed.
The principal officer is the command
ant who will be detailed to succeed Lieu
tenant Colonel Thomas II. Slavens, OF the
quartermaster corps, who for five or six
years has been the commandant Of the
military prison at Leavenworth. Every
thing has been arranged by the depart
ment for the organization Of the COM
panies. and the new policy Will be put
into operation as far as may be without
special legislation. Later on Congress will
be asked to make some special provision
in the matter For the present, however,
the difficulty is in finding those officers
who will be OF the greatest possible use.
SUGGESTIONS TO NAVAL COMMIT
TEE.-The House Naval Committee Is
deluged with documents from naval offi-
GERS who some time ago were invited by
the chairman OF the committee and by the
Secretary of the Navy TO submit sugges-
tions concerning naval personnel relief.
The hearings which had been planned on
that subject were a dismal failure because
II was impossible TO obtain quorum.
All OF the Republican minority men,
bers we're present at the meetings. but
most of the Democrats were absent. Only
two officers were heard. instead OF the
fifty who had been summoned.
1t was finally decided TO ask the onicers
10 submit their views In writing, and
these will be printed in time for circu-
lation among the members. Then sub
committee on personnel will be appointed
and a personnel bill will be drafted for
the consideration of the full committee.
This will precipitate an animated dis
cussion because so many members have
heard from individual officers and have
familiarlzed themselves with service con-
ditions by their trips to the navy yards
There is certain 10 be a variety of opin-
ions entertained by the committee men,
bers, and It is foreseen that 1t will be
difficult to reach an agreement on some
Of the leading issues II is surmised
that the result will be by way OF COM
promise and will not produce anything
~ importance