The Washington herald., 1916-10-11
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Best Service Column In CITY.

The Secretary Of War has decided that
the recent army appropriation act places
army held clerks in the military service
and that appointments to and separations
from these clerkships shall be excluded
from the operation of the civil service
law and rules.
These clerks, it is announced, will be
appointed by the Secretary of War upon
the recommendation of the adjutant gem
eral OF the army A candidate to be
eligible for appointment must be a male
citizen Of the United States. physically
sound and of good moral character,
and between is and 80 years of age and
no applicant will be designated for ex-
aihliletlob whose application has not
been approved by the adjutant general.
A physical examination will be con-
Quoted first and this will be followed by
mental examination, which will take
place IN the presence OF the adJutant gen.
eral. The mental examination will in
clude English composition, English gram
mar orthography. benmanship. arithme-
TIC geography, history stenography, type
writing and aptitude and general ef-
efficiency.
Announcement has been made by the
War Department that an examination
will be held at ~ O'Clock on the morn
, - LOI CdpIdlns ana bGC-
on Heutenants Of the army, with a view
to their selection for detail for a period
OF four years as captains and ueuten-
ants In the Ordnance Department to fill
such vacancies in those grades as may
exist on or about June 30, 1917.
Eligible officers who desire to take the
examination are requested to make ap-
Plcauon to their respective department
commanders through the proper military
channels. Officers who will not have had
at least two years commits stoned service
on June 20 are ineligible. No physical ex-
animation will b. required The mental
examination will include mechanics.
ELECTRICITY and science of ordnance and
gunnery.
The War Department has received from
senator p. o. Husting, Of Wisconsin, a
complaint that the troops of his State
have been refused the initial clothing
allowance. Authorities here have been
informed by Gen Funston that neither
the army REGULATIONS nor the instruc-
uons from the War Department are
speclhc on the question Of initial cloth
ing allowance for the militia
The uncertainty proceeds from the fact
mat while the regulations in pursuance
OF law provide in a general way that en-
listed men of the militia shall during
the period Of their Federal service be
entitled TO the same pay and allowances
as regular army enlisted men, no specific
provision is made for the accounting OF
the clothing with which the enlisted
men Of the militia are equipped when
they are called into the Federal service
1t Is held by the War Department that
enlisted men OF the militia, upon being
brought into the service of the United
States. should be credited with the reRu-
lar initial rl0fhiDv
value Of the clothing with which they
are supplied at Federal expense after
being called forth. and which they are
permitted TO retain should be charged
against such initial allowance.
The provision OF The regulations that no
clothing will be charged to enlisted men
OF the militia upon their being called
into the Federal service. except that
which may subsequently be supplied di-
rectly from time 10 time by the United
states after muster-in, should not be
construed to cause a gratUitous issue Of
the equipment by the United States after
the call. since such construction would
be inconsistent with the law providing
that pay and allowances OF the militia
shall be the same as those Of the en-
listed men Of the regular army.
Secretary Of War Baker has approved
the recommendation Of the Judge Advo-
cate General Of the army for the gra-
tuitous issue Of clothing supply in the
case Of every general prisoner restored
20 duty. the articles and quantity not to
NCeed those authorized for issue in the
initial allowance prescribed in the annual
price list Of clothing and equipage and
table of allowances, and the cost Of such
issue TO be charged against the clothing
account Of the soldier.