New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-15
Efficiency Would Be Re-
duced Is Per Cent, Regu-
lar Captain Says
Other Way Suggested
Nation Has Many Young
Civilians Capable of Hold
ing Commissions

President wilson's plan TO make COM
missioned officers of 5000 enlisted men
of the regular army is one of the worst
mistakes yet made b. him IN his pre-
paredness plans, according to army oril-
GERS in New York City. To carry out
such a scheme will be TO impair the ef-
fciency of our present fighting forces at
least % per cent, they declare, without
obtaining a commensurate return for
the new forces to be formed.
"The regular army is secured every
year for men qualified to be officers"
said captain yesterday. These men
have always been promoted promptly,
and but few have escaped. That is
shown by the fact that the regular
army has been short of officers for
many years, and s still short to-day,
despite the campaigns of the last two
years to obtain officers from civil life,
the National Guard and the army.
"Only last fall numerous entirely new
regiments were formed by drafts from
the old regiments and by the addition
Of many recruits. Those regiments are
not yet capable of the work expected
OF their mother regiments the mother
regiments are still struggling to re-
cover the efficiency lost in the drafts
and to think of taking sixty of the ex-
perienced non-commi ssioned offlcers
from both new and old regiments to-
day is an absurdity.
Not Case of Necessity
"Were it case of absolute necessity
were there no other way of obtaining
the necessary officers for new force
| would not utter word against the
plan, but this is not the case. The coun-
try to-day has at least 10000 educated
men capable of holding commissions
from second lieutenant TO captain, yet
who apparently are not being consid-
cred by the President.
These men are the student-soldiers Of
the colleges Of the country. who are
being trained daily by regular army Of
ficers. In the Middle West and West
alone there are probably 10000 young
collegians studying military art, and
they will make the best sort of officers.
Events in the Civil War proved conclu
sively that young men of from twenty
TO twenty-five make wonderful company
officers, and this has been redemon-
strated during the present war in Eu-
rope.
"A good mind, an educated ability
70 grasp salient facts quickly and 70
coordinate them for instantaneous &C
ton. and a natural faculty for training
others are prime factors in good line
officer. While the non-commissioned Of
fcers of our army are splendidly
trained, do not believe that there are
sixty in every regiment who are caps-
Bile of meeting these requirements,
and firmly believe that il the Presi-
dents plan is carried out we will regret
it if war comes.
an addition TO the many thousands
of potential young officers now under
going military training in the land
grant and state colleges Of the United
States, there are probably 10000 more
between the ages OF twenty-four and
thirty who have had this training. and
who could be taught to be good officers
IN three months.
1--WE can draw our majors. colonies
and generals from the professional SOL
diers. but the Improvement shown by
young National Guard officers while
serving under regular army men on the
Mexican border during the last eight
months has amply demonstrated what
educated men can do when properly in
structed. Practically 10 per cent OF
these young men are to-day capable OF
commanding companies.
at seems to me that the President
would be much wiser If he chose GER
tain number of regular army non-com-
missioned officers TO instruct the Off
GERS and non-commissioned officers Of
volunteer regiments in all the intrica-
ces Of supply, mess and company ac-
counts; to aid in the disciplining OF
the new forces, and in every way TO
create regular army standard among
the enlisted forces.
Regular Army Details
at the same time, | would detail
not less than two regular army Off
GERS for each regiment of volunteers.
one TO be its colonel and the other its
supply officer. These men must neces-
sarily be of an unusually high type.
but it is certain that at least one thou
sand can be drawn from the regulars.
az would have no volunteer over the
rank of lieutenant colonel, and would
demand that all general officers of vol