The sun., 1918-10-04
A NEW RANK IN THE ARMY,
The Ensign would BE Between Ser
eesnts and Second Lieutenants.

From the American Army Gorette.
A bill Is being prepared 70 recreate
the rank Of ensign in the army for men
who will be warrant officers appointed
by the Secretary OF war and who will
rank below n second lieutenant but
above a first sergeant and a sergeant
major. The need for a rank OF this
kind cannot be gainsaid. The pay OF
the non-comnissioned officers of the
army at the present time, while COM
! mensurste perhaps in some cases with
| their duties. does not begin to compare
| with the pay of the petty officers OF
the navy who are doing practically tho
same character Of work. At the pres
ent time. outside Of master engineer,
master signal electrician and master
electrician, there is no rank in the army
corresponding to the ranks Of boat
swain, carpenter and gunner in the
navy.
Why should the army be discrimi-
mated against?
The proposed bill will allow the Sec
rotary OF War, upon the recommends
| ton Of commanding officers, to issue
| warrants comforting the rank of ensign
upon sergeants and corporals who have
| had over six months service. who will
receive pay at the rate of $40 a month ;
not only in the line, but in specialized
| branches OF the service. such as the
signal corps, electrical corps. engineer
corps, artillery corps and coast artillery
corps. The details Of the proposed act
will closely follow the lines Of the law
for warrant officers in the navy and
will fill long felt need in the service.
| The fact that at present men OF highly
specialized ability are daily being In
Quoted into the army and Immediately
| given duty for which in civilian life they
received hundreds OF dollars a month.
and for which in the army they receive
| but $50 a month, does not make for a
high morale in the enlisted personnel.
| Instances without number might be
cited Of men in the army who are to-
day working side by side with civilians
doing the same character OF work, and
for which they are receiving one-hfth
to one-tenth as much pay, because, for
sooth. the civilian Is perhaps incapaci-
tated for service either by physical dis
ability or by age limit and the soldier
has either volunteered or been indicted
into the service.
Why put a premium on physical
disability?
| The principal reason, however, for the
need OF measure such as is proposed
is to take care of the line soldier. Many
men in the army who have risen step
by step to the grades OF corporal and
sergeant. and have shown their peculiar
adaptability for army life. are still
hardly qualified for commission. II is
| ridiculous to pay some OF these men the
paltry sum OF from s44 to $50 a month
in these days OF high wages. 1t makes
for a spirit of unrest not only among
the men who hear Of the enormous
wages being paid to workmen on the
outside, but lessons the ambition of the
private soldier, who very often evades
promotion to a non-commissioned OH.
cership because the increase IN pay Il
not commensurate with tho response.
bility.
A stimulus is needed TO make these
men ambitious, and the way in which
to create ambition is to make the prize
worthy of the effort. II has succeeded
in the navy and it will succeed in the
army II properly directed.
That there is undoubted dissatisfac
ton among the non-commssioned Off
GERS in the army regarding their pay
cannot be denied by any one who know.
the situation. AZ every one knows, 4
is on the non-commissioned officer tha
the real responsibility for the wei
being Of a company falls. Every cap
tain in the army knows and realized
that II he has a good top sergeant h,
is going to have a good company. II 1.
the top sergeant and not the captain
who comes in close, intimate associa
ton with the men. IL is the sergeant
and not the leutenants OF n compan,
to whom the men go with their Difficult
ties and petty troubles IL is the cor
porals who fight the battles OF thei
squads.
Then why not give them somethin,
to tight for:
Tho rank OF ensign is not new. +
originated in tho British army man.
years ago. II was n rank In the Reyo
lutionary army Of George washington
and continued so for a long time. VIII,
should Il not be revived when there 4
such q good reason for reviving Il? H
would be the buffer between tho non
CONS and the commissioned officers, an,
every man In the army would receive
stimulus TO do R,od work. having II
mind that n he was not qualified for
commission he might be able to obtai,
warrant from tho Secretary, OF War.