The Washington herald., 1910-05-16
Army Elimination.

The project OF establishing by act OF
Congress a system Of elimination in the
army is considered. according TO the
judgment Of experienced observers. as
standing no chance OF Congressional ap-
proval Those who understand the senti-
mcnt prevailing in the military personnel
have all along entertained no expectation
that the proposition will be adopted.
To most army officers the plan OF eliml-
nation is intolerable. no matter TO what
extent it may be fortified by the as
surances Of impartial application. It Is
realized that elimination will fall 70
eliminate, regardless Of the statutory in
stallation Of new method Of selection
out. There exists al sorts Of measures
by which physically unfit, professionally
incapable, and temperamentalIy incapacl-
tated members Of the commissioned per
sonnel Of the army may he transferred
from the active list or wholly retired,
which amounts to being permanently sep
arated from the service. Despite these
resources. the army is described as hav-
ing officers in various grades who stand
IN the way of progress. and who areas
in the case Of two colonels Of Infantry
now on duty in the Philippine islands,
detriment to discipline and the direct
cause OF INSTRUMENTATION among their
juniors.
It has become necessary IN one Of these
cases 10 prepare for the trial Of the Of
fcer before a military court on charges
which are more or less indefinite. in that
they are generally described as alleging
a lack Of administrative capacity. Such
questions are not always as easily de-
tcuninable as the personal or unofficial
judgment which has no difficulty in Iden-
tifying individual unftness. which may
not amount TO the tangible onense Of en-
bezzlement or drunkenness or murder. II
is conceivable, therefore, that an army
officer Of high rank and responsible DO
sition may be woefuUy lacking in all
sorts Of administrative functions attrib-
utable to temperament. and stin escape
conviction at the hands Of a court-mar-
tial.
Elimination in military personnel ad-
ministrauon is acceptable to Congress
only on the admission that there are so
many disqualified or unit army officers
Of senior and junior grades as TO Justify
that drastic means OF relieving them from
pernicious activity. II is acceptable. too.
on the basis that the present facilities Of
riddance are sympathetlcally ignored. OF
the former proposition, # IS safe 10 say
that the advocates Of elimination will
encounter the denial and protest Of peo-
pie who refuse 20 believe that the army
commissioned personnel. with members
derived from the Military Academy and
from discriminatingly selected civilian
sources, is in any such deteriorated state
or the other proposition II may be said
that it only emphasizes the futllty OF any
system Of elimination which pretends 10
accomplish its purpose by getting rid Of
the incompetent, physically. profession
ally. or temperamentaIIy
The truth Of this whole agitation in
favor Of elimination FOR both the army
and the navy is that the proposition is a
device 70 create vacancies and help pro-
motion II II is 10 be urged upon Con-
gress. 1t should be without the ubeIous
pretext Of an urgent necessity to weed
out many undesirables. However agree
able promotion may be to junior officers
It ought not 20 be at any such cost as
would come OF retiring officers in their
prime and especially at a rate OF pay
which is a serious handicap to them. II
must be taken as one OF the mlsfortunes
Of fate If promotion in the military and
naval establishment is impeded. The re-
tired list should be reserved for others
than officers who are able to perform
their duties. and who are marked for
retirement only to quicken the advance
ment OF the Juniors.