Bisbee daily review., 1918-11-14


 The secretary has indicated new leg islation will be necessary to carry out the reorganization and is expected to lay a definite program before con- gress at the earliest possibie moment. Existing law authorizes the maiIs- tenance of a regular army of approxl- mately 350,000 men. While it IS not possible to forecast the number of American troops that must be em- ployed to forecast the peace treaties have been signed, military. men be- lieve the authorized regular estab- lishment cannot provide an absolute force for all purposes at home and abroad.
 Of the 3,700,000 men now under arms, probably not more than 100, ,O0O are under obligation to serve beyond the restoration of peace. There were 1000 officers and about 120,000 men in the regular army when war was de- clared. Expiration of enlistments, however, probably has served to re- duce this considerably and all war time enlistments are for the war per iod only.
 Thousands of the officers now in service are on temporary commissions in the regular establishment These commissions were issued for a definite period of years and the men might be held. although the general attitude of the department would not indicate any intention of holding such officers against their will when the war emerg- ency has passed.
 Tae number of men necessary to be maintained in Europe probably will be worked out by General Pershing's staff and since similar calculations for the United States and its possessions are being made here it is expected that the size of the army for which 1t will be necessary to provide soon will be arrived at.
 The general staffs recommends tions as to the way the army is 10 be formed are expected to embody the principle of universal military train ing. A bill prepared by the staff just before the United States entered the war outlined the general scheme which is likely to be again advocated, modified in the light of war expert ence and the results of the operation of the selective draft system.
 At this time it was planned to con tinue the gafrisons for the Philippines. Hawaii and Panama on a voluntary basis of selecting men who elected army life after they had passed through their periods of training. Out side of these overseas forces, however, the staff proposed to remodel the standing army into a strictly training force, composed of officers and non commissioned officers who should be developed into experts in getting raw material quickly into shape and through whose hands, in future years, should pass the classes called to the colors for training.
 Both the commissioned and non- commissioned ranks of this training force, it was planned. should be re- cruited from men who displayed abil- ity during their training. There is reason to expect that some similar pro ject will again be brought forward al though neither President Wilson nor Secretary Baker is now committed to universal training as 8 national policy. In his last annual report MT. Baker said it was not 6 question which should be decided while the country was at war.
 Consolidation of the existing offic- CTS corps. both line and staff. forms n separate element of the present prob lens of the war department It is certain that efforts will be made to keep men who have shown themselves qualified in such relationship with the government that their services con be quickly re-secured at need. Pending the completion of plans. resignations are being discouraged.
 Plans for returning officers to their