The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-06
By Il. II, JOHNS.

Contrary to the popular impression.
lneither the Senate or House bill provides
for the immediate raising OF the army to
the strength that is fixed in the meas
ures. BY the House bill it would be in
creased in four annual increments and in
the Senate bill in five.
While it is recognized that the strength
of the regular army could not be doubled
in one year as provided for in the Senate
bill without decreasing its efficiency, 1t is
doubtless whether the advocates of pre-
paredness will be satisfied with any in
crease that extends to a period of four
or five years. There will be a protest
from the national defense societies
against any program which postpones the
increase for such a long period. The orig
insI recommendations of the War Depart
ment were for three annual increments.
At the same time the General STAFF will
scarcely be willing TO give its approval to
a program which would authorize an ade-
ouate increase in the army in less than
three wears. 1t might approve a period
OF two years for the increase in the num-
Der of organizations, but the increase of
officers. according to the policy of the
War Department. has always extended
through a period of three years.
1t is impossible to secure commissioned
officers either from West Point or civil
life i'm less than two or three years. 1t
would be four years before West Point
would begin to turn out additional Off
GERS under any law that is passed at this
session. and it is generally considered an
unwise policy to draw an increment eX-
Clusively from civil life and from the en-
listed men of the army. The present high
state of efficiency OF the regular army
has been maintained only by adding a
certain percentage of civilian candidates
to the army with the West Pointers.
Upon the recommendation of the Judge
advocate General of the navy a new sys-
TEN of military law instruction has been
inaugurated at the Naval Academy.
Without increasing the time devoted to
military law more is being accomplished
at the Academy in practical instruction
of the midshipmen. This is done by a
system OF lectures and has been giving
highly gratifying results.
The course opened with n lecture by
Capt. Ridley Mclean, Judge Advocate
General OF the navy, followed by num-
Der of prominent lawyers and legal au-
thOrities.
Plans are under consideration in the
Navy Department for the creation OF a
Marine Corps reserve. One of the sug
gestions is that instead of providing for
q discharge by purchase of enlisted men
of the Marine Corps they should be fur
loughed into the reserve. II is also rec
commended that the terms OF enlistment
should be so changed that upon approval
of his commander an enlisted man should
be allowed to pass into the reserve of
the Marine Corps as soon as he has at
tanned a certain degree of efficiency.
The machine gun company in command
of Capt. +. B. Cole, L. s. NJ. C. which
has been serving on the Kentucky, and
lis now attending the Mardi Gras. will be
returned to Pensacola from New Orleans
Judge Gould, of the Supreme Court Of
the District of Columbia, has sustained
the opinion of the Judge Advocate Cen
eral of the navy relative to the natural
ization of Filipinos. The court holds with
the Judge Advocate General that Fill
pinos can be naturalized after term of
enlistment in the navy on the same terms
as the other men of foreign birth.
Second Lieut.. Henry y. Summer. c. 4.
C.. was promoted February y, vice First
Lieut.. Nathaniel P. Rogers, il, G. A. G.
dead.
Capt. Edward Davis, Thirteenth Cav
airy, is in Washington en- route to
Athens. Greece. where he will assume
the duties or military attache.
Such excellent results are being accom-
plished at the School of the Line in Fort
Lcavenworth that the War Department
has undeTa consideration plan by which
the senior captains who are availR bic will
be required TO take the course Some of
the majors may be included in making
service at the sNh"ol compulsory.
The Washington branch st-sha Army