Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-11-14
War Department Working on
Breaking Up Of Present Or
ganizatidn as Men Now in
Service Obligation Ends,
MANY NEW OFFICERS
WILL BE RETAINED
Others Expected to Be Re-
turned to Civil Life and
Placed in Reserve Where
They Can Be Secured,

lay MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wlRsi
Washington, Nov. 13.--Plans for
the reorganization of the war depart
ment and the army now are in formu-
lation by the general staff and soon
will be before Secretary Baker. Or
ders for the actual breaking up of
the army cannot be promulgated I'm
til these plans are completed as the
demobiization program is dependent
to some extent upon the adoption of a
reorganization policy.
The secretary has indicated new
legislation will be necessary to carry
out the reorganization and is eX-
pected to lay a definite program be-
fore congress at the earliest possible
moment
Existing law authorizes the main
tenance of regular army OF ap-
proximately $4,000 men. While 1t is
not possible to forecast the number
Of American troops that muss be en-
ployed in Europe afer the peace
treaties have been signed, military
men believe the authorized regular
establishment cannot provide an ade-
uuate force for all purposes at home
and abroad.
or the $1,000 900 men now under
arms, probably no more than 100000
are under obligation to serve beyond
the restoration of peace. There We're
1000 officers and about 10000 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 enlstments are for the war per-
iod only.
VIII Need Officers.
Thousands of the officers now in
service are on temporary commissions
in the regular establishment. These
commissions were issued for definite
period of years and the men might
he held, although the general atti-
tude of the department would not IN
dicate any intention of holding such
officers against their will when the
war emergency has passed.
The number Of men necessary 70
be maintained in Europe probably
will be worked out by General Perish :
ing's staff and since similar calcula-
tions for the United states and its pos
sessions are being made here 1t Is ex-
pected that the size of the army for
which il will be necessary to provide
soon will be arrived at.
The general staff's recommenda'
tions as to the way the army Is to 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 garrisons for the Philippines.
Hawaii and Panama on voluntary
basis by 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 train
ing force, composed of officers and
non on-commissioned officers who should
be developed into experts in getting
raw material quickly into shape and
through whose hands, year after
year, should pass the classes called to
the colors for training.
Some Similar Scheme.
Poth the comm ssioned and nom
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
project will again be brought forward
although neither President Wilson nor
Secretary Baker is now committed to
universal training as national poll
cv. In his last annual report Mr..
Paker said it was not a question which
should be decided while the country
was at war;
Decentralization OF the existing offic-
ers corps, both line and staff, forms
serarate element of the present
problems of the war denartment. It
is certain that efforts will be made to
keen men who have shown themselves
qualified in such relationship with the
roverrment that their services can
be Quickly re-secured at need. Pend
ing the completion of plans, resigna-
tiors are being DISCOURAGED. :.
Plans for returning officers to their
civilian status are expected to provide
for an army reserve officers corps
similar to Mat nsed in building up the
present army. Similarly, II is regard
ed as nrohabie that stems toward the
organization of an ample enlisted re-
serve will DE taken. The form OF the
reserve. however, whether by volun-
tary obligation or BY order. will de
pend upon the military policy to be
adopted.
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