CONGRESS. (TiiE ARMY BILL.) 



181 



is to combine the features of reading arid recrea- 

 tion rooms, a cooperative store, and a restaurant 

 in order to supply the troops at reasonable prices 

 with the articles of ordinary use, wear, and con- 

 sumption not supplied by the Government, and to 

 afford them means of rational recreation and 

 amusement, while through exchange profits it pro- 

 vides means for improving the messes. Buildings 

 are ordered to be set apart or rented at every post 

 for the exchange; An officer is put in charge of 

 the management and a non-commissioned officer 

 of firmness, not an outsider, is made exchange 

 steward. The exchange is superintended by a 

 council of officers, with a subcommittee of non- 

 commissioned officers. Rules of order are pre- 

 scribed, prohibiting gambling and restricting the 

 entry of civilians. 



" The sale and use of ardent spirits ... is 

 strictly prohibited. But on the recommendation 

 of the exchange council the commanding officer 

 maj' permit beer and light wines to be sold at the 

 canteen by the drink whenever he is satisfied that 

 giving to the troops the opportunity of obtaining 

 such beverages within the post limits will prevent 

 them from resorting for strong intoxicants to 

 places without such limits and tends to promote 

 temperance and discipline among them. 



" The canteen must be in a separate room, pref- 

 erably in a separate building. The sale of beer 

 is limited to week days, the beer to be consumed 

 upon the premises, and treating is not permitted. 



"In the cooperative store the goods are got at 

 cheap prices, and lunchroom prices are made as 

 small as possible. Sales are made on credit, and 

 the profits applied, 5 per cent, to the band, a part 

 to gardens, reading-room, and gymnastic appli- 

 ances, and the rest to company funds, which en- 

 able the soldiers to get better meals and comforts, 

 or returned in dividends. 



" Such an exchange was first undertaken as 

 an experiment in Vancouver barracks in 1880, but 

 was not established in the army till 1889, and 

 came into full use in the year 1891. 



" This is the American system that treats the 

 soldier as entitled to his home and his reading- 

 room, where he may meet his friends and do what 

 he wishes, always in moderation. It has attracted 

 attention abroad. It is recommended by Gen. 

 Roberts in place of the sutler's canteen system. 

 By it the soldier has his club. It is, by regula- 

 tion, attached to every post. There is thus estab- 

 lished a building in which there are reading-rooms, 

 newspapers; a cooperative store for the sale to 

 the soldiers of what they need and can not get 

 in the ordinary rations. 



" There is a refreshment saloon for coffee and 

 tea and for food at odd times when the soldier can 

 not get meals or comes in from guard-duty and 

 wants something to eat. Generally there is pro- 

 vided a gymnasium. It pays something toward 

 the regimental band, in which they all have pride. 

 It supplies the material for polo, football, and 

 other games, arid all this is done by saying to 

 those who wish to have a drink, ' Do not go out- 

 side; come in here and buy among your friends 

 in your own club.' Without the profits of these 

 sales it could not be supported. But nothing ex- 

 cept beer and light wines are sold no heavy in- 

 toxicants and there is no treating. The results 

 have been marvelous." 



The amendment was adopted by a vote of 159 

 yeas to 51 nays; and the House substitute passed 

 Dec. G, 1900, by a vote of 171 yeas to 133 nays; 

 absent, 4; not voting, 48. 



The Senate made various amendments to the 

 House substitute, and then agreed to it, as 

 amended, by a vote of 43 yeas to 23 nays; not 



voting, 21. There was a Ion- d l.nr- over the 

 matter, and the main points coveted were the 

 policy of having a large army, UK: udoplion of a 

 declaratory provision as to llie national policy 

 in the Philippines, and the good ;in<l e\i| ic-ults 

 of the army canteen. The first tuo points have 

 been discussed at great length in (.'on^re--, at. 

 every opportunity. The third is somewhat more 

 unusual there, and a mass of argument and illu,- 

 trative material was gathered; so that the Senate 

 debate is valuable for reference, but not 1<> be 

 represented by either summary or quotation. 

 There were two conference committees; and the 

 second report was agreed to Jan. 29 and Jan. 31. 

 The President approved the measure Feb. 2, 1901. 

 The full text of it is as follows: 



" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of 

 Representatives of the United States of America 

 in Congress assembled, That from and after the 

 approval of this act the army of the United 

 States, including the existing organizations, shall 

 consist of 15 regiments of cavalry, a corps of 

 artillery, 30 regiments of infantry, 1 lieutenant- 

 general, 6 major-generals, 15 brigadier-generals, 

 an adjutant-general's department, an inspector- 

 general's department, a judge-advocate-general's 

 department, a quartermaster's department, a sub- 

 sistence department, a medical department, a pay 

 department, a corps of engineers, an ordnance de- 

 partment, a signal-corps, the officers of the Rec- 

 ord and Pension Office, the chaplains, the officers 

 and enlisted men of the army on the retired list, 

 the professors, corps of cadets, the army detach- 

 ments and band at the United States Military 

 Academy, Indian scouts as now authorized by 

 law, and such other officers and enlisted men as 

 may hereinafter be provided for: Prodded, That 

 when a vacancy shall occur through death, re- 

 tirement, or other separation from active service 

 in the office of storekeeper, now provided for by 

 law in the quartermaster's department and ord- 

 nance department, respectively, said office shall 

 cease to exist. 



" SEC. 2. That each regiment of cavalry shall 

 consist of 1 colonel, 1 lieutenant-colonel, 3 majors, 

 15 captains, 15 first lieutenants, and 15 second 

 lieutenants; 2 veterinarians, 1 sergeant-major, 1 

 quartermaster-sergeant, 1 commissary-sergeant, 3 

 squadron sergeants-major, 2 color-sergeants with 

 rank, pay, and allowances of squadron sergeant- 

 major, 1 band, and 12 troops organized into 3 

 squadrons of 4 troops each. Of the officers herein 

 provided, the captains and lieutenants not re- 

 quired for duty with the troops shall be available 

 for detail as regimental and squadron staff-offi- 

 cers and such other details as may be authorized 

 by law or regulations. Squadron adjutants shall 

 receive $1,800 per annum and the allowances of 

 first lieutenants; squadron quartermasters and 

 commissaries shall receive $1,000 per annum and 

 the allowances of second lieutenants. Each cav- 

 alry band shall be organized as now provided by 

 law. Each troop of cavalry shall consist of 1 cap- 

 tain, 1 first lieutenant, 1 second lieutenant, 1 first 

 sergeant, 1 quartermaster-sergeant, G sergeants, 

 6 corporals, 2 cooks, 2 farriers and blacksmiths, 

 1 saddler, 1 wagoner, 2 trumpeters, and 43 pri- 

 vates; the commissioned officers to be assigned 

 from among those hereinbefore authorized, Pro- 

 vided, That the President, in his discretion, may 

 increase the number of corporals in any troop of 

 cavalry to 8, and the number of privates to 76, 

 but the total number of enlisted men authorized 

 for the whole army shall not at any time be ex- 

 ceeded. 



" SEC. 3. That the regimental organization of 

 the artillery arm of the United States Army is 



