The Washington herald., 1916-10-13
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Best Service Column in City.

Army officers are looking forward with
Interest to the conclusions to be reached
by the board appointed by the War De-
partment to consider and report upon
the Standardization Of motor transpo=ta-
tion for the army and the methods OF
purchase and upkeep of motor vehicles.
The board Is composed Of Lieut.. Col.
Chauncey B. Baker Quartermaster Corps;
Lieut.. Col. John II. Rice, Ordnance De-
partment; Maj. Palmer E. Pierce, GEN
eral Staff; Maj Harold w. Jones, Medi-
cal Corps: Capt. Alvin B. Barber. Corps
of Engineers. and Capt. Virginius Z.
Clark, Signal Corps.
Most of these officers have had more
or less to do with motor transportation
in their respective branches. Col. Baker
is in charge of that particular work in
the office Of the quartermaster general
Hitherto the various stan departments
OF the army have proceeded Independently
in acquiring vehicles of the motor type,
and It is desired to stAndardize this class
OF transportation. Consideration also Will
be given to the character of motor We
hicles in their relation to the needs OF
the service. With the large number Of
these vehicles now on hand, as a result
of purchases made during the emergency
in Mexico, it has become necessary also
to regulate the maintenance of motor
| trucks and passenger cars. The monthly
| expense Of motor truck maintenance in
the army is approximately 100000.
Progress is being made by the board c1
army officers chosen to recommend suit
! able sites for use as aviation grounds. In
accordance with instructions, the board
has inspected all the Federal-owned tracts
that offer aviation facilities, but has re-
ported that they are unsuitable. Private
owned sites now are being given consider
alton.
An appropriation Of $4,000 is available
for purchase of land. Funds for the
e. uipment of the flying station can DC
aviation purposes.
The board consists OF Lieut.. Col. George
o. Squire, Signal Corps, head Of the
Army Aviation Section; Capt. Richord e
Marshall. jr.. Quartermaster Corps, and
Capts. Virginius f. Clark and Thomas
Dew. Milling. aviation officer. of the
Signal Corps.
The hearings being granted by the
! Navy Department in connection with the
selection of a site for the proposed armor
plate plant are unnecessary and fruitless
in the opinion OF the Army and Navy
Register.
No special argument" says the Reg
ister. lis advanced by any of the COM
/ petlng cities, so faT as Is reNealed IN
! any of the documents on the subject, eK-
! Cept principally that the erection ant
| maintenance of the plant would be g
| good thing for the community, a condi'
| ton that applies with equal force tc
/ every other site of the hundred or more
that have been offered to the government
! AS has been remarked. the hearings
were of no value, because the Navy De-
! partment still is obliged to conduct its
| Independent investigation. to which ac'
tivity the initial step OF providing a site
i for the srmor plant might very vel
have been confined. All the boosting
| in which local committees have engaged
counts for nothing and cannot be ex'
Dected TO influence those with whom the
| responsibility of the selection of site
! finally rests"
The Navy Department has issued tc
senior officers afoat at the various navy
yards. to the commandants Of stations
and to the commanders-in-chief Of tbs
three fleets instructions to govern th'
examination Of naval officers to the grade
! The instructions cover a new field. whicf
will have to do with a practical demon
stration OF fitness.
! In addition to the amended professional
examination. there will he the physica
! examination along familiar lines II
general. the examination will cover the
subjects OF seamanship, ordnance and
/ gunnery. navigation and plotting, steam
! engineering. electricity, military and in
! ternatiOnal law. and tactics and strategy