The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-05
UNITED TRAVELLERS
 ELECT OFFICERS

K. K. Kennedy Chosen as
 Presiding Officer and T.
 R. EppersOn Secretary | At one of the most enthusiastic meet ings held in years, local council, No. 1I2 United Commercial Travellers, last nigh
 elected the following officers to serve
 the ensuing year:
 | R. K. Kennedy, senior councillor; T. B
 Marshall, junior councillor; W. E. Bridg CTS, page; T. R. Epperson. secretary s. M Cox, conductor; c. D. D. Lewis | sentinel; executive committeeman tC serve two years, c. D. Abrams and L. A l Callan. The representatives at tht
 grand council meeting are R. S. Ken
 nedy, J. P. Oliver and L. A. Callan. l Following the business session, buff fet luncheon was served, about 100 mem
 bers of the council being present. 1 Charlie Abrams, who made arrange ments for the entertainment features oi 1 the evenings programme, was made chairman of that committee for life al
 the suggestion of Capt. H. B. Kennedy
 He was inducted into the office amid
 the cheers of his brothers and over his
 violent protest MT. Abrams stated that
 the members of his committee were en- titled to all the credit for the excel lence of viandS.
 | Judge David J. Davis, former recorder l of the police court, was among those l who rba iuo- o1ncp6 with rising vote of thanks to Charlie | Abrams for the dinner, the suggestion coming from B. +. Wilkerson.
 
 which would take in graduates from mili- tary schools and colleges and provide for their further development to command. For the regular army the bill provides a reace strength within five years of | 1TS000 men of all arms, or approximately 165,000 fighting troops The percentage of men in each company, battery or troop
 at peace strength would be increased in the interests of efficiency and the full war strength would be 225,
 65 INFANTRY REGIMENTS The army would consist of 65 infantry, |25 cavalry, and 21 field artillery regi-
 ments, in addition to the staff and other special corps and the coast artillery. The mobile army in continental United States would consist of four infantry divisions and two divisions of cavalry. Correspond ing increases in the number of general officers would be made, and the rank and pay of lieutenant general would be given to the chief of staff.
 The bill provides for complete reorgan- ization of the army, legalizing the organi- zation now in force under departmental regulation. The appointment of second 1ant ntbar than nf 10 military academy is made provisional for two years before commission is is- sued
 Enlistment is fixed at seven years, four with the colors and three in reserve
 At the end of one year of service efficient men may be discharged into the reserve on recommendation of their commanders and at the end of two years at their own
 request if approved. Reservists would receive a minimum pay of SPA year and
 the President would have authority to
 mobilize the reserves in time of actual or
 threatened hostilities.
 ADDITIONAL INDICTMENT
 As an additional inducement for re- cruits, provision is made that men who have completed six years service in the army may be examined by a board of officers to determine the civil occupations for which they are qualified and they would be eligible to appointment to civil
 service positions of that nature without active service examination. The Presi- dent also would have power to appoint
 one man from each regiment to the Mill
 tary academy.
 The reserve officers training corps would have senior and undergrades eS- tablished at civil educational institutions
 where military courses are provided with an army officer detailed as instructor. The senior grade units would be placed at colleges and universities and the junior grade at high schools.
 Five hours a week would be required
 in the senior grade and three in the ju- nior devoted to military training. Sum-
 mer camps for field training of the cadets would be provided by the government The regulations under which graduates would be appointed to the reserve corps are left to the President. Such appointees
 must be at least 21 years of age and must obligate themselves to serve for 10 years. Their maximum is fixed at 50,0O0. DETAILS NOT SETTLED The federal volunteer force is provided for in general language, leaving the whole question of enlistment, training, reserve and the like to the discretion of the President. The clause ss an amendment of the volunteer act to permit organiza- tion of such a force in peace times as we'll as war. The only restriction in numbers is that the force shall not ex- ceed an average of 600 for each congress sional district, or approximately 25O, ,OOC men in all Regular army pay would be provided for both officers and men dur ing periods of training.
 The plan Is the continental army pro- posal in effect, although the committee decided to leave to the President the widest possible latitude so that the re- quirements of the service could be fitted to the needs of each section of the coun- try individually. It is believed by framers of the bill that this plan will offer the best means of testing the possibility oi creating an adequate volunteer army in peace times and the committee desired l to enact no regulations which would ham, per the experiment. The continental plan proposed by Secretary Garrison, commit tee members thought was too definite in
 many respects.
 USE ASSOCIATION PLAN For liberalization of the National Guard the bill adopts, with numerous
 notifications, the plan proposed by the National Guard association. The rate ot pay for officers. however, was set at $500 year for all of the rank or cap
 tain or above; $500 for first lieutenants and certain specified staff officers and