The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-20

for army promotions. Hereafter or during the war period merit only will count. This rule will apply to officers of either the regulars, the guard or the national army They are equally Ieligible for temporary appointment, which must be "based solely on demonstrated fitness without regard to seniority"
 l The old rule was followed by the chief executive with few exceptions, and those exceptions were in favor of certain line officers who were jumped over old heads through per- isonal friendship.
 1 According to the announcement from the department, the war regula- tions make officers interchangeable within their own arms and grades of the service. Second lieutenants of T the reserve corps of the regular army also are made available for appoint ment to the other branches. ! Under the old seniority system ex- Iceptionally we'll equipped men often had to wait for many years for ad Ivancement. The department never wanted to do anything that might i seem unfair treatment of the old men lin line.
 The seniority rule was all right in time of peace, perhaps, but not in time Iof war. The government is now de- I termined to push the best talent up- ward. Another good thing about the new regulations is that commanders may select noncommissioned officers for second lieutenancies without any fred tape. Secretary Baker is striving to make the war department as eff ficient as possible. He is establish ling, without doubt, a fine reputation as business administrator.
 The executive committee of the army and navy field comfort committee has decided not to send cigarettes to nurses lover there" When you come to think of it., an angel of mercy" with ciga- l rette stuck in her mouth does not ex- actly fit into the picture. : The Germans succeeded in sinking a ) Russian battleship that was built before f the Russo Japanese war. If they had waited awhile the old tub might have sunk of it's own ,volition.
  Y It is said that German airmen don, :. care to bomb Paris because they know
 the French will. retaliate on German ' towns. How about a little retaliation John Bull?
 The Germans are pounding away al the demoralized Russians, evidently fol
 the purpose of showing the people bach : |hcme that there is somebody they car : whip.
 Ncuy tbot cop,a rf n1r. mi 7ad oop gressmen have an opportunity to minglt : with their constituents, they may dis r cover the error of their ways . <: < 4 Y Charley Murphy says Tammany is pa $ triotic. Maybe so, but Tammany hal ' ever had an eye to the main chance n meaning the spells of office.
  s Kingdom Gould has been promoted t l. the rank of first sergeant. However, hi l. monthly stipend is still considerably les v than he paid his chauffeur T. $ "Who is John F. Hylan?' asks tn T New York World in stentorian tones
 It begins to look as if the judge wi n have to prove an alibi.
 H% S Poor Heinie Zimmerman! If the sport 1t ing writers don't let up on him .bone V head will stick to him until his dyin , day.
 's MT. Wilson hopes picketing the Whit l. House will not hurt the suffrage caus' = How is that for heaping coals of fire 'c n If the Russians spent as much tim st fighting as they do passing resolution II Petrograd would be in no danger. ss One thing is certain. The shortage
 sugar is not due to lavish use of
 in making old-fashioned toddies.
 +
 When nipping weather comes we hes
 opce more that glad cry in the quic 1e luncheries- stewl'' as The kind of pedicine that comes 0, f. Of those concrete pill boxes. is deuced