54163930 ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL. COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS, Washington, D. C., January 14, 1908. The committee met at 10.30 o'clock a. m., Hon. John A. T. Hull, chairman, presiding, for the purpose of considering the army appropriation bill this day and the days following. STATEMENT OF GEN. CHARLES H. WHIPPLE, PAYMASTER-GENERAL, ACCOMPANIED BY LIEUT. COL. HARRY L. ROGERS, DEPUTY PAYMASTER-GENERAL. The CHAIRMAN. The first item under your department is on page 7, pay of officers of the line. You have an increase in that item. Have you more officers to pay than you had before? General WHIPPLE. Yes, there is an increase in the number of officers in the artillery. Under the act of January 25, 1907, the President was authorized to fill the vacancies created at the rate of onefifth each fiscal year until the total number of officers had been provided. This estimate calls for an increase of 35 second lieutenants mounted, 82 second lieutenants not mounted, and pay for 1 chaplain, Corps of Engineers, act June 12, 1906. The CHAIRMAN. In the year 1907 you expended only $5,263,000. Is that caused by the shortage in the number of officers commissioned, and authorized by law? General WHIPPLE. Yes; that was the cause of it. The CHAIRMAN. Is there not always some shortage on that item? General WHIPPLE. Usually. The CHAIRMAN. The $5,724,700 is based on the full number of officers authorized by law? General WHIPPLE. Yes; the authorized strength of the Army. The CHAIRMAN. Do you think there will be anything at all risky in making the appropriation about what it was before, if there was about $500,000 saved and unexpended for the last fiscal year over the amount asked for this year? General WHIPPLE. I think there would be a great risk unless the authorized strength of the Army is reduced. The CHAIRMAN. For instance, all salaries due for the fiscal year 1907 are now paid; or have you still some unpaid? General WHIPPLE. They are largely paid. It sometimes occurs that officers draw their pay once in six months and occasionally a little longer interval, but as a rule they are all paid. Mr. SLAYDEN. What are the conditions under which the collection. is delayed, where the officer is serving in Alaska or away elsewhere? General WHIPPLE. That is at the option of the officer. Some officers prefer to draw their salary once in six months. While I was post paymaster here in Washington, some officers would draw pay 3 |