The Butte daily post., 1917-04-23
POLITICIANS NOT IN
DEMAND JUST NOW
Not to Officer Armies, Says a
War Department Official.
Bulletin Issued.
'ho Fosts Washington .,urcau.

inc fosts washington .Nurcau.
Washington. II. G. April sS-ln pre-
pairing for the serious business OF
lighting Germany tho war department
Is inviting the politicians TO GO way
back and ait down"
This is not to he n war from which
anybody viii derive any political cap
ital II tho war dcpartment-an that
means the administrution-ha its way
II is to he a nations war In which all
tho nations resources will be brought
into play with the maximum of enici-
ency and that cannot be accomplished
the authorities say. II a lot Of poor
sticks of officers are fostered upon the
army through political pull.
From the food or requests for COM
missions which are pouring in on the
Montana senators and representatives
II would appear that the number who
desire Jobs as officers is almost un-
limited. Nobody seems 10 be longing
to 40 IN the capacity OF private. Vice
President Marshall. being second Of
hcial of the land and close to the pres
ident. is being deluged with applica-
tlons for commissions. not only from
Indiana but from many other states.
He is n storm center OF the pull to get
hsrths in the army.
a war department official who knows
whereof he speaks said today:
LAS matter OF fact, all OF these re-
quests for commissions have been mis-
II the senders think they
arc going to Get commissions through
political pull. they Will end up without
and will find to their sor-
row that modern armies are not Of
ficered by politicians.
1T can safely be said, and is beyond
question. that the war department will
recognize no political pull Things are
on a different basis from what they
were in 1895 when the Spanish -Ameri-
can war was organized. Modern war
fare has called for the maximum of ef-
ficiency In armies and this can never
be attained with poor officers.
This does not mean that the or
dinary civilian will not have a chance
TO become an officer. On the contrary.
the new army will need an immense
OF new officers and these men
will be obtained for the most part from
the present ranks of the regular army.
the national guard and from the ranks
OF graduates OF military institutions
and colleges with military instruction.
Others will be appointed from civil
life. but II is a safe bet that no colo
nels or majors or generals are to be
appointed from civil life.
This situation arises from the fact
that no volunteer units will be organ
iEed. The officers in volunteer units
usually set their places because of
their popularity or because OF the fact
that they helped to organize the unit.
The new army plan does countenance
the enlistment of separate units. but
IL is predicated on the theory that the
federal government will have entire
charge Of the organization of all units
along a definitely laid down plan for
such organization.
'In general. graduates of military in
stitutions. of colleges which have we'll
developed courses in military training;
officers Of former wars who have had
actual field experience and non-com-
missioned officers of the army and ma
tional guard will receive commissions
without question except as to their
moral and physical fitness.
"All others must pass examinations.
heSe eAaihAia'iohs' oi course, VIII Dc
based upon thorough study of the
Of arms and certain other texts
specified by the war department. Cen
eral education will be a factor and
physical qualifications will count much. |
civilians who intend to be officers |
must adopt this method. There is no
use to write or telegraph the vice pres
ldent or any senator or representative.
The wouldbe officers must get busy
with the manual Of arms and when |
they have mastered the textbooks