The Monticellonian., 1917-11-02

and unquestionahly there always will he loyalty to the person who repre- sents the fact. so long as loyalty Is possible It is the old army and navy idea again of standing by the com mandng general in the field or the nd miral on the bridge.
 There is evident not only in the ca0- ital but throughout the country m ardent desire on the part of the bu& of the people to be just as loyal to the soldiers and sailors who are to do daa- gerous work for the flag as they are or try to be to the civilian chief who, under our constitution, comman0s them. The war department and the navy department in Washington feel this condition instantly. There are thousand channels of communities l ton between the great departments of | government and the masses of the pes 1 pie and change of sentiment one way or another on the part of the country | instantly is detected in headquarters l in Washington.
 The chiefs of the army express themselves freely as being pleased ard perhaps little bit surprised at the extraordinary enthusiasm of most sf the American people for the member ship of the new National army, the SC lected service men drawn to the eel ors through the draft system. There was sort of fear in army circles that the men who did not v9- unteer but who entered through the process of drawing would not find the place in the hearts of the American people that the volunteers always have found The truth is that today tie officials seem to think that there k. if possible. little warmer feeling N- ward the young fellows from civil ifSe who have been plunged Into absOluAe- ly new conditions of living, then thege Is for either the National GuartfsIn~- or the regulars. This may be only ta the seeming instead of in reality, 9t that the new National army has a- gagged the affections of the peOy te. army men say there can be no dos A.
 Third Officers Training Camp.
 Enlisted men of the regular ar = and the National Guard and select - service men of the National army ne to be given an opportunity this win Af to earn commissions by undergoing A- struction at another officers train = camp. which the government has Be- cided to establish early in JanMrJ
 It was not many years ago sat some high-ranking army officers e commended that the course at W ct Point be extended one year, becH sgB they held that four years instruct an, even at school as rigid in it's da sei- pline, and teaching as the nilii aqv academy was not enough in whici - train an officer for the army.
 It may be that as a result of tAe experience of this war the minds ef some of the army officers will - changed concerning the time neceS sW to make men fit for commissions 6 course it is recognized that the n, ,ee- sites of the case have made it UT eat that officers should he trained quio V, but from the reports which com. . the war department from all over the country it appears that the young nea who have been commissioned sfter three months at school in the field are something more than fairly fit to G- ercise Junior commands.
 Already the commanding gener of each regular army. National c afd and National army division has tod the enlisted men of his command that I the school for officers is to be op ned and that every noncommisSioned O0- cer and private can apply for aeInie- l sion. Ii is estimated that 10 per cent of the enlisted strength of the va ious organizations will be selected fo ex- animation for entrance to the G naDs and that from this 10 per cent title less than per cent will be chose for actual service at the schools O tn- struction.
 Only the Best to Be Taken.
 It is not believeE however that fully 10 per cent of ssll the orgf nina- dertake the training. If the tntirs number should apply and shoul l be successful in the course, the lrlnF probably would be overtOpped wi h e. l ficers. Therefore It is that only per cent, comprising the most likely is5s centage of the 10 per cent. will be per mitted to enter the camps.
 The understanding is that at the training camps the course will be con ducted along semicompetitive lines. Not all the men who enter, of course, can graduate, but they will lose nOth- ing by the educational experience fer those who do not get commissions stoned rank with the increase of pay which such rank commands.
 Out of the colleges and military schools of the country 2,500 young mes are to be taken into the officers train ing camps They will drill and stulk side by side with the men from the ranks of the three services. It is mp parently the intention of Uncle Sam to have enough men to officer an army much larger than that which at tho present day Is under orders.
 The parents and the friends of many young men who have been selected for service and have entered the National army feared that promotion would be denied even the deserving ones In the ranks of those chosen by draft. The war department knew that the feeling existed in the country that the men whs volunteered for the regulars or the National Guard would be much more certain of promotion than the men whs entered the service through the draft. | fyr-t