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no expeditions and the corps is full. This strength must vary, however, from time to time.

The CHAIRMAN. About 4,000?

Col. MCCAWLEY. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. How has the question of desertions in the force of the Marine Corps in the past year compared with other years?

Gen. BIDDLE. During the calendar year ending January 1, the desertions have been reduced 31 per cent over the previous calendar year by better methods of enlistment, reorganization of the barracks, and segregation of the recruits together into small recruiting depots. The CHAIRMAN. And it has also resulted from better treatment of the men?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir; more attention given to the welfare of the

men.

Mr. HOBSON. Have you ever had a brigade of marines together?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir; we have had a brigade in the Philippines at all times since the Spanish-American War, and have organized brigades for expeditionary service from time to time as follows: Panama, 1903-4; Cuba, 1906-7; Panama and Nicaragua, 1909-10; Cuba, 1911; Cuba, 1912. As many as three regiments together at times.

Mr. BUTLER. Three full regiments commanded by a colonel?
Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir.

Mr. ROBERTS. Where were they serving?

Col. RICHARDS. In Cuba, at Guantanamo.

Mr. HOBSON. Have you ever known of an Army post turning out that number?

Gen. BIDDLE. Not since the Spanish War.

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS,
Washington, June 13, 1912.

From: Major General Commandant.
To: Officer in charge, Quartermaster's Department, Headquarters United States
Marine Corps.

Subject: Quotes letter of commendation from department re organization of provisional brigade. United States Marines, for foreign tropical shore service. 1. There is quoted below a communication received from the Secretary of the Navy commending the efficiency displayed in the recent organization and embarking of forces for tropical service:

"The department desires to express to you and the officers under your command its appreciation of the thorough manner in which the department's orders for the embarkation of the marines was carried out.

"The quickness and smoothness with which all matters connected with the assembling of the marines at the various points and the expedition with which their embarkation with complete equipment was accomplished entitles the Marine Corps and the efficiency of its organization to the unqualified praise of the department."

2. It is appreciated that the efficiency of your department and the officers and clerks employed therein contributed to a great extent toward the prompt and successful organization of the forces embarking for tropical service, special credit being due the officer in charge of the depot of supplies, Philadelphia, Pa. 3. A copy of this letter has been forwarded to Lieut. Col. Cyrus S. Radford, assistant quartermaster, United States Marine Corps, for his information.

W. P. BIDDLE.

The CHAIRMAN. The next item is "For pay and allowances prescribed by law of enlisted men on the retired list." That is a mathematical calculation?

Col. RICHARDS. Yes, sir; and the details are given on this paper.

The statement referred to by Col. Richards follows:

Pay of enlisted men-retired list.

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The CHAIRMAN. The next item is "Undrawn clothing," and you reduce that?

Col. RICHARDS. Yes, sir. The number of men we expect to be discharged during the year is 3,050, as against 3,250 last year.

The CHAIRMAN. The next item is "Mileage," and your estimate is $58,500, instead of $55,000 appropriated last year?

Col. RICHARDS. $3,500 of that amount is asked for because of the increased number of officers estimated for. The rest of it is just as it was last year. We expended last year, out of the appropriation of $55,000, $39,689.21 for mileage, $10,912.59 for traveling expenses, and $1,282.05 for transportation, making a total of $51,883.85. We turned in the difference. We have had that amount-$55,000-for several years.

The CHAIRMAN. Do you have an unexpended balance each year? Col. RICHARDS. We have had for the last two years a small unexpended balance, but that fund is to cover the expenses of travel according to the military necessities.

The CHAIRMAN. And you need some margin?

Col. RICHARDS. We need a little margin. Those expenditures are very carefully regulated; the appropriation is balanced periodically, once or twice a month; orders are issued according to the military necessities. We ask for that slight increase not only because of the additional officers authorized by the bill last year, but also on account of the officers which we expect may be authorized this year. Mr. ROBERTS. What are the qualifications now requisite for an officer of the Marine Corps? There is an age qualification?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir; between the ages of 21 and 27 years. Mr. ROBERTS. And must they have had previous military experience?

Gen. BIDDLE. No, sir.

Mr. ROBERTS. That is not necessary?

Gen. BIDDLE. No, sir.

Mr. ROBERTS. Is there not a law that contemplated taking graduates from Annapolis for the Marine Corps, or was that a departmental regulation?

Gen. BIDDLE. The last law we had on the subject covered applicants from civil life, certain meritorious noncommissioned officers, and graduates of the Annapolis Academy, but the Navy Department has

never been satisfied that they had enough graduates to spare from the line of the Navy to give us any.

Mr. ROBERTS. Is it not a fact, General, that graduates of the Naval Academy will not go into the Marine Corps? Is it not a fact, General, that the department attempted to fill up the complement with naval officers?

Gen. BIDDLE. They did ask for volunteers, but I think they wanted them for the line.

Col. MCCAWLEY. The recent law absolutely prevents any officer being appointed in the Marine Corps.

Mr. ROBERTS. If a graduate of Annapolis desired to go into the Marine Corps, he could come in without further examination?

Col. MCCAWLEY. He would have to resign from the Navy.

Mr. ROBERTS. But you would take him without further examination because of his graduation from Annapolis, and anybody else must pass a very rigid physical and mental examination.

Mr. HOBSON. You also have a certain course of instruction after they come in?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir. We have a student officers' school which runs 12 to 18 months.

Mr. ROBERTS. I know last year the Secretary made a regulation that those to be designated for the Marine Corps must have two years' military experience. That was to cover a certain class of men who failed to get through West Point and Annapolis. Has that regulation been waived now so that any man without previous military experience can be designated?

Gen. BIDDLE. I did not know that the Secretary made such a ruling; that is, concerning appointments from civil life. On the recent examination there has been no requirement for any military service. Mr. ROBERTS. That is what surprised me. I learned that indirectly not long ago, that they did not absolutely require military experience.

The CHAIRMAN. My recollection is that either a year or two years ago the Secretary contemplated limiting the appointments to Annapolis or West Point, and there was considerable protest against barring those from civil life, and the order was not put into effect. That is my recollection. I know that several protests came to me from men in civil life. I do not think the order was put in effect. Gen. BIDDLE. Not since I have been the commandant.

Mr. ROBERTS. It may not have been formally put in force. Is there a provision of law whereby the enlisted men can work up?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir. Any meritorious noncommissioned officer can come up and take the examination the same as anybody else. Mr. ROBERTS. Do they get any preference in the examination over a civilian?

Gen. BIDDLE. No, sir. They all come in and take the same examination.

Mr. ROBERTS. They have the same opportunity while in the corps as any civilian has to apply and take the examination?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir; except that they must have served two years and reached the grade of noncommissioned officer.

The CHAIRMAN. And appointments are made according to the grade of the examination?

Gen. BIDDLE. They are appointed in the order in which they pass the examination.

Mr. HOBSON. Do you think it would be advisable, in case the personnel of the whole Navy were reorganized, to provide that all future officers of the Marine Corps should be recruited from graduates of the Naval Academy?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir: I have made such a recommendation.

Mr. BUTLER. You have heretofore recommended that appointments to the Marine Corps shall be made from Annapolis graduates?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir. I do not think it is because the young men did or did not want to come, but I think the Navy Department wanted to fill up the lower grades of the line, and if they had a surplus of officers they would put them in the Marine Corps whether they wanted to go or not.

Mr. HOBSON. How many officers are required a year to recruit the present strength?

Gen. BIDDLE. On the average about 12 to 18.

Mr. HOBSON. Have you any idea how many officers are required to recruit the Paymasters' Corps of the Navy?

Gen. BIDDLE. I think they have approximately three-fifths our strength.

Mr. HOESON. About 25 or 30?

Gen. BIDDLE. I think the Paymaster's Corps is full now.

Mr. BUTLER. The opportunity to advance to high grade is not as good in the Marine Corps as in the line of the Navy?

Gen. BIDDLE. We only have one general officer, the Major General Commandant, and the Navy has 18, excluding extra members and chiefs of bureaus. The Army has 21-6 major generals and 15 brigadier generals, excluding Chief of Staff departments.

Mr. KOPP. How many men are there in the Marine Corps as compared with the Navy?

Gen. BIDDLE. There are in the Marine Corps 9,900-practically 10,000 and the Navy has 51,500. They have over five times as many. We have one general officer to look forward to and they have 18, or 1 flag or general officer to about 2,850 men.

Mr. KOPP. You should have, according to that, at least four?

The authorized strength of the mobile Army, that is, Infantry, Cavalry, and Field Artillery, is approximately 50,000 men, for which there are 6 major generals of the line and 15 brigadier generals of the line, or 1 major general to 8,000 men, and 1 brigadier general to 3,300 men. On these proportions, the Marine Corps should have 1 major general and 3 brigadier generals, in place of the Major General Commandant alone, as is at present the case.

The Marine Corps needs brigadier generals for duty with the marine brigade in the Philippines and to furnish officers of appropriate rank to take command of expeditionary brigades, which are being called into service with increasing frequency.

A corresponding force in the Army would be commanded by a brigadier general, and, so long as the Marine Corps has no brigadier generals, in case of combined operations this will always result in placing the marine force under the officer in command of the Army brigade, no matter what the relative length of service and knowledge or ability of the two officers may be.

Service in the Marine Corps is hard, and at present, unless an officer is selected for promotion to the rank of Major General Commandant, he has to retire with no higher rank than that of colonel, no matter how long or how distinguished his service may have been. In 115 years there have been but 10 commandants of the Marine Corps, so very few officers can reach that rank. The authorization of two brigadier generals would be of great benefit to the Marine Corps, and would result in increased efficiency, in that it would tend 85873-13-33

to place the officers of that corps on an equal footing with the officers of other branches of the military and the naval services. This addition of two brigadier generals can be made without increasing the estimates for the current year, and can be accomplished by inserting in the naval appropriation bill, draft No. 1, page 105, next to the last line, before the words "One colonel," the following: "Two brigadier generals," changing the "O" in "one" to lower case.

In this connection it is considered that the present system whereby the Major General Commandant serves until he retires is not for the best interests of the service, and it is recommended that the Major General Commandant be selected from the officers of the line of the Marine Corps on the active list not below the rank of colonel; that he be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a period of four years, and in case he is not reappointed that he be returned to the position in the line to which his seniority would have entitled him. It is further considered that the brigadier generals recommended above should be limited to officers of the line of the Marine Corps on the active list not below the rank of lieutenant colonel.

The above recommendations can be accomplished by inserting the following proviso, on page 106, after the word "lieutenants":

"Provided, That the brigadier generals herein provided for shall be selected from the officers of the line of the Marine Corps on the active list not below the rank of lieutenant colonel: Provided further, That hereafter, when a vacancy shall occur in the office of Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps, the President shall appoint to such vacancy, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, an officer of the line of the Marine Corps on the active list not below the rank of colonel, who shall hold office as such Major General Commandant for a term of four years, and who, upon being relieved from such office of Major General Commandant, shall be returned to the rank and grade to which his seniority would entitle him, there to remain as an extra number until such grade is reduced to the number authorized by law: Provided further, That any officer who shall be retired from active service while holding the office of Major General Commandant, or who shall have served a full term as Major General Commandant, shall, upon retirement, be retired with the rank, pay, and allowances authorized by law for a major general retired.”

Gen. BIDDLE. About 3.

Col. RICHARDS. You were speaking of the Naval Academy graduates not coming into the Marine Corps. I graduated from the Naval Academy and came into the Marine Corps. At that time there were 70 officers, and my prospects of promotion in the Marine Corps were very bright. I realized that in coming into the corps. Now, however, as you well know, the number of officers in the Marine Corps has increased from 75 to about 350, and of course those who come inin fact, I think almost all came from civil life, many very young men, and that has produced a hump in the Marine Corps, so that the prospects in the Marine Corps for the Naval Academy graduates are not as bright as in the line of the Navy. That explains why the Naval Academy graduates do not wish to come into the Marine Corps.

Mr. HOBSON. Could you conveniently put into the record for our benefit your idea of the proper systematic composition of the officers' line of the Marine Corps at the present strength of the corps?

Gen. BIDDLE. Yes, sir: I will. We have, I think, about thirty-odd officers per 1.000 men, and the Infantry of the Army has sixty-odd officers. That makes it very difficult for us to organize the expeditionary forces with the proper number of officers.

STATEMENT IN REGARD TO THE PROPER ORGANIZATION OF THE MARINE CORPS AT PRESENT STRENGTH, 9,921 ENLISTED.

The present proportion in the Marine Corps is one officer of all grades, line and staff combined, to 34.5 men. This is about the proper proportion for company officers of the line and excluding those of the grades of captain and first

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