The Washington herald., 1918-04-29
/ Army and Nay wNNyyEsA NNeyyEsA:
Best Service Column in dle City

known as the Naval Reserve" foi
general service, ard confirmed 10
the nank, grade and rating they nov
hold in the national naval volun.
teerS. without examination Tbs
Fleet Naval Reserve and the NavA
Reserve will become practically
Identical. both classes being com.
posed exclusively OF officers anc
men who are fully qualified for serv.
ice in their rank or rating on bosrc
of combalant ships. The medica.
and dental Reserve Corps will cesss
to exist, and members OF those or.
ganizations will be enrolled i'm th'
Naval Reserve force in their pres
ent grades and ranks.
The retirement in October on ac-
count Of age Of Mai. Gen. ". g. Cor
gas. surgeon general OF the army. IL
anticipated in the conjecture which is
rife copcerninS his successor. There
are some interesting developments
among prominent members Of the
medical profession VINO are serving in
the capacity of medical reservists in
favor OF the selection Of a reserve Of
ficer as the head OF the medical de-
partment. Some Of these medical re-
seryists are already active in legisls-
tion that is proposed for the increase
Of the medical department and have
thereby incurred the displeasure Of
the War Department which has not
found il possible TO indorse the pro-
visions of the so-oalled Owen bill, OF
which the action OF the Senate Mill
tary Committee has been postponed.
In the meantime, the Secretary OF
War is expected within the next few
days to act on the opinion OF the
Judge advocate general as to the
strength OF the army as basis for
numbers in grades Of the regular Med
zeal Corps. II is understood. as al
ready stated in these columns. that
the opinion will be satisfactory to the
corps, although not in form originally
desired by medical officers. for It will
fix basis Of strength so as 10 insure
reasons BILE regulation OF promotion
and will necessitate the absorption OF
only a. few colonels and Lieutenant
colonels who have been commissioned
in anticipation OF another ruling.
Considerable interest attaches 10
stories which have been brought from
France, mostly by civilians who have
been engaged in voluntary medical
and sanitary work, to the effect that
the medical department abroad has
collapsed" and that there Is very
much in the situation there in respect
10 the administration Of hospitals and
the care Of the SICK and wounded 10
invoke anxiety as to the welfare OF
jh. disabled. None OF thcsc reports
has been sustained in the official ad-
vices received from representatives OF
the medicaI corps under GCn. Per-
shing, and one explanation Of the
criticism is that its authors have as
sumcd this unfriendly attitude TIC
rause il has not been possible 20
comply with al! the requests for per-
sonal favor.
The Navy Department has decided
that the at OF August - l'lG. Gpcs
not. Of its own Nigor. vest in an acting
dental surgeon. Appointed under tE,.
act of August ., 49,, the Office OF
dental surgeon Ipcrmanenli with the
right Of advancement n tho rank 0s
lieutenant after fve y'a-s' service lin
CludinE service as an acting assistant
dental surSeomJ The power Of aP-
pUintmcnt was loft where IL would
have been without the specific pro-
vision made in this case. namely, in
tho President