The Washington herald., 1917-06-29
Army and Navy News
Another sketch of a prominet army
Best Service Column in City.

Another sketch OF a prominet army
officer:
BRIG. GEN. HENRY T. ALLEN,
Cavalry Officer
Born in Kentucky April 13, 1859
and appointed to the Military Acad-
emy from that State in 1878 In 1882
he was promoted to a second lieu
tenancy and assigned to the cavalry.
During the Spanish-American war he
was made a major of volunteers and
rose to be lieutenant colonel. While
5S years old. Gen. Allen is one
of the best preserved men in the
army. not appearing to be more than
Is years old. and is believed to be
physically fit for the hard campaign
ahead Of him in the European conflict.
The question of selecting the COM
missioned personnel of the conscripted
army of 10000 is one of the most
vital of the hour. The general staff of
the War Department is still laboring
at the work of organization of the
army and are giving careful con-
sideration to the memoranda from
several sources.
1t is expected there will be In the
neiChborhood of 80 regiments, the
of which are destined to come from
the regular establishment. upon which
will be the draft for general officers.
some of whom will be the brigadier
generals recently nominated and con-
firmed and still awaiting their COM
missions.
The details Of development and
adjustment are numerous and pre-
picking and it may be several weeks
before the War Department is in the
position of announcing definite re-
suits. 1t Is desired to settle the quea-
ton involved. pertaining TO organiza-
tion and selection of personnel. with
the least possible delay. One of the
features OF the situation will be the
signing of between 10000 and 40,OJ
commissions before September !. Each
commission must bear the signature
of the adjutant general of the army
and the Secretary of War. and it Is
proposed to utilize mechanical aid in
accomplishing this routine, II having
been found that by means of
sinograph II will be possible to sign
seven commissions with one operation.
Announcement has been made Of the
letting OF the contract for the fourth
of the new government flying fields at
Belleville, Ill. It will accommodate
800 student flyers. will provide ham
gars for seventy-two training planes
and will be a standard two-squadron
field. Construction work will begin
Immediately. The flying fields al
ready announced are at Dayton, Ohio:
Mount Clemens, Mich. and Rantoul.
Ill.
The War Departments present
plans contemplate letting the fifth
contract in about two weeks, and the
remaining four of the nine fields al
ready authorized at successive inter-
walls of two weeks thereafter. The
preparation of the three fields already
started has been made an emergency
job, and the Chanute field, at Rantoul.
is already nearly half finished. Sub
stantial progress ha salso been made
on the big four-squadron Wilbur
Wright field at Dayton and the Self
ridge field at Mount Clemens The
authorities hope to have men flying
on all three OF these fields by the
MIDDLE of summer. In naming these
fields the War Department has been
following the plan OF calling them
after distinguished American flyers
who have died in the military service
or after those who while living have
contributed to the development OF the
science of flying.