The Washington herald., 1916-10-06
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Best Service Column I'm City.

Two sessions a year will be held here
after at the Naval Medical School. To-
Gated here. The first session, which has
just begun. will end February /. The
second session will begin February Is and
end June is. By this method Of two ses-
sions year a larger number of graduate
officers will be available for duty.
Medical Director Z. r. Sitt succeeds
Medical Director ]. D. Gatewood in COM
mand OF the station. Surg. Howard F.
Strine succeeds Passed Assist Surg. E.
H. H Old, and Surg. J. c. Pryor succeeds
Surg. Frank L. Pleadwen
Examinations hereafter will be held at
the convenience Of candidates for sdnnis-
sion to the medical school. They will be
conducted at naval stations in the vicinity
Of the candidates instead of at hxed
points on fixed dates. These steps are
being taken to build up the naval medical
corps, which now is in need of 300 Junior
grade men.
Extension Of the principle Of promotion
by selection to the stan in the higher
grades Is likely soon to be a reality. II
Is believed that Secretary Daniels, who
is an ardent advocate of the plan. will
either order the system Immediately sp-
Piled. on the strength of a recent ruling
by the judge advocate general, or recon-
mend action by Congress at the next ses-
sion.
The ruling Of the Judge advocate general
was to the effect that promotions TO any
grade in the navy. line and stafr, may
lawfully be MADE by selection, the rule
! Of selection by promotion having original
ly been established by the appointing
power. who is at liberty to change the
rule without express authorization OF
Congress and even without regard to
statutory enactments which 1t may be
contended require that the seniority rule
I be observed in making promotions, Con-
gress not having the Constitutional
power to I'LL an existing vacancy in a
higher Office"
1t is understood that Secretary Daniels
has been advised not to introduce pro-
motion by selection in the stah without
express authorization by Congress, large
ly on account OF the sentiment in oppo-
sitton to that method entertained by stan
officers and also because any nominations
of STAFF officers advanced by selection
would be certain to encounter senatorial
rejection.
The second Increment of the increase of
the army, authorized by the national de-
fense act OF June g. has been calculated
by military authorities The record shows
that the total number Of line officers
beginning July l. 1917. will be 5,9l7, OF
which $50 will be of the cavalry, SO OF
the field artillery. s23 of the coast artil-
lery. 2,302 OF the infantry. IA Of the en-
gineers, "a general officers. IoZ2 detached
officers, and 4s additional ofricers-
In addition to these line officers, there
will be 20 officers Of the corps of en-
gineers, Al Of the general staff corps, 81
OF the adjutant generals department, =
OF the inspector generals department, 2
| OF the Judge advocate generals depart
ment. Of the insular department, los OF
the ordnance department 173 OF the sig
nal corps, 30l OF the quartermaster corps
LOS Of the medical corps. and Is2 Of the
Philippine scouts.
A new system Of examination for pro-
motion in the navy, soon will be put IN
force. The examinations will cover steam
engineering. navigation, gunnery. electric
ity and seamanship Under the new sys-
TEN the officers will be taken aboard
ship and asked to execute various duties
under personal observation Of the exam
lining boards. Heretofore II has been the
custom to give the officer a written draft
OF questions which he was permitted tO
solve lin his own way. The old system
also included examination on language
international law and military science