Evening star., 1918-05-26
Army and Navy News

.uUy NeWS
during the military kindergarten
near the Mexican border.
HIS name has been mentioned rather a
gas as surgeon general in case the
Army should have tho misfortune to
lose that officer upon his reaching the
age Of retirement, next October.
(,
The recent announcement of the re-
tirement Of Gen.. Bliss as chief of
staff and the
General STAFF nomination Of Gen.
Changes Made. rsy.Ua to succeed Cd him mn'fs is
one Of the important events Of an
eventful week for the Army.
Gen. March 10 very live man and
a fine ofiicer. selected by Gen. Pershing
on account Of special fitness for the
position in which he has been acting;
and this confirmation of his appoint
ment and Endorsement Of his methods
is one Of the best signs Of the recog-
milton by the War Department of the
necessity of having some live mill
tary men to direct the military affairs
Of the department.
put 1t mildly. cannot be said to have
been a success. 1t Is the fact that
officers Of the old school without ex-
perience in the war methods of today,
however skillful in the styles Of
twenty years ago. have until the day
of Gen. March been at its head. Con-
ditions too late to be remedied after
war was declared made 1t impossible
to put up-to-date officers on the staff
to cooperate with their various
chiefs. They were not in the. Army,
and the ikeliest Of them had sought
and been allowed to have foreign
duty. What was left and what ex-
peripents could be found constituted
all the material that an inexperienced
secretary OF War had out Of which to
itself against the organized general
stan Of Germany.
Delays over trifies. ina bllity to take
up in the multiplicity Of daily details
the matters Of big Importance. lack
mako a beginning have resulted in
weakness and duplication of effort
There is no chance for military
progress as long as a course IL fol-
lowed. where the great accomplish
passing the buck" or letting some-
one else take the responsibility.
Gen. March. who has seen that this
Is real war. does not stand for that
sort Of general staf; and this strong
the return to duty in this country OF
some officers who now also know
first hand the war game as our troops
mpst be prepared to play 1t. to add
to- what has been called the brain
growing strength than many of the
loudly trumpeted triumphs (that did
not materialize) Of wonderful per-
formances Of American genius in a
shTnt Hsmir., cut s,m, to victory ..r wsr S said
and must be fought out on strict
principles" Ono Of those principles
is that the military brain Of the Army
must be clear and strong. must be
absolute and must nave the unlimited
Gers In all branches OF the service.
Col. Fred Glover. ordnance. who
entered the service last fall as a
succeed Col. Charles s''fnaise B. prafe as ae
chief Of the motor division, O. N, 3.
This 10 another case Of a civilian
expert being appointed to an innpor-
War Department. Col. Glover. before
he became soldier. was the vice
president Of the Emerson n-Brantins-
ham Manufacturing Company. max
ers Of agricultural implements; and
the organization Of the great busi-
ness Of producing motors for the
United States Army.
! It has been generally understood
chief of the division was only tenn
porary, and that he Is to be sent to
the War College for special service.
II Is also understood that Christian
Girl. who has contributed in so great
/ QeRreA f0 the aNccAaa oP o<o, x.,..y.
Standardization for the Army, has
asked to be relieved from HIS present
position as civilian director Of motor
eonseTsssiSn. eomn1.saS feeling that he ha. ac
undertake for the government-the
Standardization Of Army truck
which means the making Of the parts
IN factories best able to make them
able to assemble tile parts thus turned
out In quantity production.
The President has approved III.
sentence Of dismissal and two years
Imprisonment imposed by court-martial
on Second Lieut. Francis M. Watters.
Infantry Reserve Corps. convicted on
charges Of financial Irregularities and
absence without permission. United
States disciplinary barracks, Leayen-
worth, Kan, has been desiEnated "a
the place Of confinement.
Authority has been given for the
establishment Of an infantry unit OF
the Senior Reserve Omcrs' Trainine
Corps at Columbia University, New
York city.
Secretary Daniels has announced
that he had named fourteen more new
ltorpedoboat destroyerD in memory Of
men Of the Navy who won Distinction
through heroic conduct
Eleven OF the vessels are named for
Iomcers killed in the war Of 1912. OF
the others. the Anthony Is named in
memory Of Sergt. Maj. William An
thony Of the Marine Corps. who dis
was blown up in Havana harbor:
the McDermont. for Lieut. Comdr.
David A. McDermont killed in the
civil war, and the McLanahan, for
Passed Midshipman Tenant 'McLana-
han. who was killed when q party
from the U. g. 8. Cyane was besieged
The vessels named for heroes Of the
war Of 1919 were the LAub. the Ed
J wards. the Ballard. the Babbitt, the
-Claxton the Hamilton the Rush this