The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-02-11
ADD MORE OFFICERS
Secretary of War Asks for Larg.
er Number.
Increase. of 1000 Would Put High
Command In Hands Of Younger
Men in the Near Future
Proposed Legislation.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

ey EDWARD B. CLARK.
tStaff Correspondent Of the Western
Newspaper Union.)
hington.-Members of congress
have taken heed of misunderstand-
ing which seems to exist in some parts
of the country over the proposition to
increase the enlisted force Of the army
by 10000 men. There are today about
eighty-five thousand enlisted men in
the service. The present law reads
that the total enlisted strength Of the
army shall not exceed at any one time
100000 men.
1t will be seen from this that the ad-
dition of 10000 privates to the ranks
will still keep 1t under the limit cf
the law, and that congressional action
is needed virtually only to furnish
support for the addition in men which
the secretary of war has recommended
shall be added to the service.
Secretary Garrison has asked also
that 1000 additional officers shall be
commissioned. 1t is in this recommen-
dation of the secretary that the chief
interest here centers. II the commits
Der given it means that the higher
rank in the United States army in
the near future will be held by officers
considerably younger than those now
In command
The effect Of the proposed legisla-
tion in truth seemingly Is not gener-
ally understood even by members OF
congress. The thought seems to be
that it simply will add 1000 officers
to the service and that the only
Strengthening Of the army will be In
numbers and through the advantage
which will accrue from having officers
enough to fill the regimental places of
those who are ordered on detached
service.
If 1000 new commissions are pro-
vided promotion will come to 1000
officers, not necessarily in all cases
promotion from one grade to another
but promotion in file, which means
simply that captain who is say 10C
files removed from q major will be ad
! re.seee. sc .lsss. ~l,e Will get 4ss.s -ses
! much earlier than would be the case
under present conditions.
AS things are today officers in the
prime of life and best fitted probabl,
for high rank are graded as captains
majors or perhaps at best as lieuten
ant colonels. BY the time they get t.
be sixty years old it is possible fo
some of them to become brigadiel
generals, but the most active part o
the officers life today Is passed as /:
/ Junior in command.
The first effect Of the law propose
by Mr.. Garrison will be to advance al
the junior officers Of the army a scor'
or so of steps. Then there will be ;
good many colonels, lieutenant colo
nels and majors still young in years
and fit physically for the hardest kin,
Of campaigning. This will mean tina
eventually our brigadier generals an
major generals will be much younge
men in the main when they get pre-
motion than are those who hold tn
rank today.
It is understood that the administra
tion will enter no objection to the pas
sage by congress Of the legislation Pre-
posed by Secretary Of War Garrison
and introduced by Senator Chamber
lain Of Oregon. II 1t becomes a Ia,
the country will have fewer colone1-les
regiments. fewer majorless battalion
and squadrons, and fewer captainles
companies in the field than it has tt
day.