The Washington herald., 1918-02-11
Sweeping Changes, Under
Consideration Several
Weeks, VIII Be Made.
PURPOSE OF BAKER
Is COORDINATION
Names of Officers to FiIlNew
Places Not Made Public
by Department.

A general reorganization OF the
General Staff of the Army was an
nounced in a general order issued
by the War Department last night.
The new plan provides for 6ve
more divisions. Each division will
be under an assistant chief of staff.
The Chief of Staff and War Coun-
Gil are to cooperate in the general
administration duties of the Cen
eral Staff.
Considered for Weeks.
The sweeping changes provided for
have been under consideration by
Secretary Baker and his chief ad-
visers for several weeks. The Sec
retary stated that a reorganization
of the department was in progress on
his first appearance before the SEN
atc military affairs after the invest-
cation of the conduct of the war was
Instituted Reorganization Of several
Of the bureaus. and other important
improvements preceded the General
stan alterations.
The names of officers who are 10
occupy the positions provided for IN
the new scheme were not given out
Edward r. Stettinius, recently ap-
lf
comes under the third, or purchase
and supply division.
The general reorganization of the
General STAFF is viewed in some GUAR
tiers as a result of the Congressional
agitation for a war cabinet and a
munitions director. At the War De-
partment 1t Is declared to be a ma
tural outgrowth Of the rapid develop
ment OF the war program. There
were about forty-five members Of the
General Stan when war was declared.
This number was increased i'm
nediately and now is about eighty.
Most of the present members are In
France.
Chiefs Burden Increases.
The official announcement of the
reorganization says:
The burden upon the Chief of
STAFF, the assistant chiefs of stan
and the officers forming the Gen.
eraI StafT in their duties~in connec-
tiou with the administration OF the
army program by the military estao-
Iishment has so increased that 1t
becomes Immediately necessary to
organize the General STAFF into re-
sponsibIe divisions"
The chief of the General STAFF,
with the assistance of the War
Council, is to be the immediate ad-
wiser of the Secretary of War. He
and the war council are charged
with the planning and development
of the army program in its entirety.
The Chief of STAFF is to supervise
and coordinate. The constant de-
yelopuIent Of the army program and
the relating of this program to the
General Staff and the entire army
will be the duty of the Chief Of
stan and the war council
Full Powerx Conferred.
The assistant chief of STAFF in
charge Of each division shall have full
power to act for the Secretary Of War
and Chief of STAFF upon all matters
charged to his division. The five di-
visions are designated as: Executive,
war plans, purchase and supply,
Storage and Traffic and army opera
tons --
The chiefs Of the several bureaus.
corps and other agencies Of the mill
tarJr establishment are placed directly
rnder the General STAFF.
The executive division Is to have
charge Of the Office OF the Chief of
Stan under an officer to be known
as the executive assistant. He shall
act for the Chief Of Stan during his
absence. This division rs to discharge
the administrative duties Of the Cen
eral stan- It will supervise the Or
Kanization. administration and meth
DDS Of all divisions OF the General
STAFF and the several bureaus. corps
Aand other. agencies Of the military es-
tablishment
Statistics. military intelligence. req
uisitions and permits, promotions and
assignments and the militia bureau
and Federal guards also come under
this division
Directs War Plans.
The war plans division win be in
charge Of a director of war plans.
This oflcer shall be president Of the
War College and in charge Of all ac-
tivities OF the War College. The duties
Of this division include:
L Plans for the organization of ali
branches of the army.
2 study and determination of the
types and quantities of equipment and
approval Of design and types Of equip
CONTINUED on PAGE TWO.