The Washington herald., 1918-05-27
/. Army NsyysM
Best Service Column in The. CITY

The following statement n author
lied by the War Department:
] The Secretary Of War has directed
that the regulations governing the
fourth officers training schools be
modified TO remove the restriction al
lowing only 80 per cent of the
total number OF men entering the
training school to qualify as eligible
for a commission.
Under this new ruling all who sue
cessfully complete the course OF train
ing and attain a fixed standard of
proficiency and are 90 recommended
will be listed az eligible without re-
striction a. to Q percentage Of the
total number attending.
The final date for filing applications
for the fourth oficers' training
schools was May !. and, as exceptions
to the general rules governing the Sc
lection Of men are not being consid-
cred. it is useless for men TO apply
for admission at this late date.
The notice Of the Surgeon General
Of the army some weeks ago that
there would be required about 1000
additional medical reservists for MIL
itary service has been supplemented
by the medical section Of the Council
Of National Defense in an appeal TO
State medical societies for q "drive"
to that end. There is, however. in
this Incorporation into the service of
their country OF 80 many members of
the medical profession a danger in
too heavily drawing physicians from
communities where they will be need
cd for the preservation Of the pub
lie health. There is realized, and
has been remarked in these columns,
necessity for exempting from this
duty. a certain class of specialists.
and particularly the instructors at the
medical colleges, which will be re-
quired to maintain their output on a
basis that will produce the neces-
sary number of medical students with
proper training. Otherwise. the situa-
ton will be presented Of a deteriora-
ton in the efficiency of the college
faculties and a corresponding ad-
verse impression upon the fitness Of
graduates for military or any other
work for which they are supposed TO
be educated. This important and Sc
rious development of the situation
was intended as the subject Of dis
cussion at a conference at the Sur
eNch al OluCG III " aknlnKlOn
during the past week, but Il has
been decided to bring II up in a more
comprehensive matter at the coming
annual session Of the American Medi-
| cal Association in Chicago, June 10
TO u 1t is appreciated that IL will
not be possible to establish any rule
In regard TO an exempted class Of
| physicians. since the individual will
| in fha end he
service quickly and easily separate
himself from any status that renders
him ineligible; but the adoption and
PRONUNCIATION of a policy that shall
create an exempted class I'm the medi-
cal profession with a protection of
personal pride and exoneration from
the suspicion of Stacking will do
much TO protect the situation in the
colleges now threatened with harmful
| results.
or the 1897 candidates for appoint
ment as midshipmen at the Naval
Academy who took the recent exam
ination. 40 or 3Sh per cent were
found qualified. representing the larg-
est number TO take and the largest
| percentage TO qualify in an April ex-
animation. The next examination will
occur in February of 1919. There are
about 800 midshipmen who will be
graduated on June 6, TO which date
the graduation Of the present first
class has been advanced. II is OK
peCted that there will be 500 vacancies
to be filled during the next year and
that there will be a total strength in
the corps OF midshipmen of 2.eoo, the
largest number ever under instruction
at the Annapolis institution. Temper
airy quarters have been provided as
far as possible, and when the vacan-
cies are filled next year there will be