Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-11-14
WAR DEPARTMENT TO BE REORGAN|zEO
Huge Task Before Secretary Baker-New Legislation
 Necessary.

ment and the army itself now are in process of formulated by the general ! staff and soon will be befode Secre- tary Baker.
 Orders for the actual breaking up of the army cannot be promulgated until these plans finally are complet- ed as the demobilization program is dependent to some extent upon the adoption of a reorganization policy.
 The secretary has indicated that new legislation will be necessary to carry out the reorganization and is expected to lay definite program beofre congress at the earliest pos sible moment. This may reopen the whole suestion of Universal Military training and many officials anticipate long legislative struggle before final action is taken on whatever pol icy MT. Baker may propose
 Existing law authorizes the main tenance of regular army of approxi- mately 375,O0O men. While it is not possible as yet to forecast the num- Der of American troops that must be ensSloyed in Europe after the peace treaties have been signed, military men believe now that the authorized regular establishment cannot provide an adequate force for all purposes at home and abroad.
 Of the 3,700,000 men now under rms, probably not more than 100000 are under obligation to serve beyond the restoration of peace. There were some 1000 officers and 120,0O0 men ill the regular army when war was " Nf ,et, however, probably has served to re- duce this considerably and all war time enlistments are for the war per- iod only.
 Thousands of officers now in ser vice are on temporary commissions in the regular establishment. These commissions were isued for 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 en- ergency has passed.
 The 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 it's posses sions, are being made here, and it is expected that the size of the army for which it will be necessary to pro- vide soon will be arrived at.
 The general staff's resolutions as to the way the army is to be formed are expected to be embody the principle of Universal Military training. A bill prepared by the staff just before n outlined the general scheme which is likely to be again advocated mod1- fled in the light of war experience and the results of the operation of the selectived draft system.
 At this time, it was planned to con- tinue the garrisons for the Philip pines, Hawaii and Panama, on vol untary basis by selecting men who elected army life after they had pass ed through their periods of training. Outside of these overseas forces, how ever, 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 matedial quickly into shape and through whose hands year after year, 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 req son to expect that some simple pro- ject vii lagain be brought forward, although neither President Wilson nor Secretary Baker is now committed to universal training as national policy In his last report, MT. Baker said, it was not a question which should be decided while the country was at war.
 Consolidation of the existing off cers corps, both line and staff, forms a square element of the present prob lens of the war department. It is cer- tain that efforts will be made to keep men who have shown themselves quilified in such relationship with the government tat their service can be quickly re-secured at need. Pending the completion of plans, resignations are being discouraged.
 Plans for returning officers to their civilian status are expected to pro- vide for an army reserve officers corps similar to that used in building up the present army. Similarly, it is regarded as probable that steps to- ward the organization of an ample enlisted reserve will be taken. The form of the reserve, howeved, wheth- CT by voluntary obligation or by or der, will depend upon the military policy to be adopted.
 
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