Evening star., 1918-12-01

though no official statement
can be made at this time, it is cer-
tain that no great reduction can he
made in the Army medical officer per-
sonnel, with the exception of those
officers now in camps and canton
ments in the United States. The med
ical officers on duty in these camps
will be discharged, for the most part.
with the mastering out of the units
to which they are attached upon the
completion of their duties in connec-
tion with the mastering out. This
duty will include the physical cXami-
nation and the completion of the
medical record of every officer and
man who leaves the service here
after. A copy Of this record will be
filed with the bureau of war risk in
with any application that the soldier
may hereafter make for allowance
for sickness or injury resulting from
his service in the present war.
Medical officers attached to units
OF the expeditionary force will re-
main with their units until they are
"
reasons relieved from foreign scrv-
ice. Many will be attached to base
hospitals abroad until the condition
or the sick and wounded, who cam
not be speedily returned, permits
their removal. On this side of the
be attached to base hospitals for the
care of the sick and the wounded
from camps and cantonments and for
those returned from abroad and re-
quiring hospital treatment.
All the thirty-six base hospitals in
United States will be maintained as
long as there is any need of them
for either the wounded or sick of
their organizations or for the accom-
modation of any returning from
abroad. These base hospitals are
well located and are capable of ac-
commodating any number of patients.
since many of the convalescents may,
II such a thing should become neces-
sary. be accommodated in camp bar
racks.
AS the convalescents are discharged
ana the hospitals no longer needed.
the patients that can be moved will
be concentrated until one by one all
the base hospitals are closed. There
are tifty-three general Army hos
pitfalls, placed as far south as con-
venient. The largest, especially for
reconstruction, are located at WASH
,cago. One of the largest of the base
hospitals will be at Camp Devens.
Mass. 1t is understood that in de-
mobilizing the medical officers re-
quests for discharge will not be
sought or favorably considered. but
as possible. in classes. except that
IN some cases ago will receive con-
sideration and some of the older men
VIII be discharged first on the theory
that in fairness they may have an
opportunity to re-establish them
selves in practice without crowding
by the younger men of the profession.
!: *
THE hearings before the House
committee on naval affairs were
opened last week and Rear Admirals
Earle. chief of naval ordnance; Robert
S. Griffin OF steam engineering, and
David w. Taylor of construction and
repair, the officers who provided the
Navy with guns. boilers and engines,
radio and electric apparatus and kept
hulis in repair and built new vessels.
gave their estimates Of the amounts
required for the fiscal year 1880
for the support Of the present Navy.
,,nn.rie,n mnese estimates tnna,s are unavoidabiy
OF the armistice and the political up
heaval shortly before there has been
no way of determining the naval pol
icy for the period for which the esti-
mates are made. Tor the most part
the officers had prepared them with
the continuance Of the war in mind.
and had reduced them by cutting out
all provision for war measures and
combining them to the care OF the
of the Navy appeared before the COM
mittee. but could give only his view
ct what the naval policy should be
for the next few years. That policy
can be adopted only by the adminis-
There seemed to be a strong dispo.
sition on the part Of the committee
members of that party which will
select the chairman Of tho next COM
ntttee to Insist upon radical Yeduc-
tions in the number Of vessels now
commissioned. as we'll as to cut out
many now under contract and in
various stages Of completion. the pet
argument being that there would be
no more wlr and that there in nm
longer need Of watching Germany.
There is need of all economy. bit
that docs not mean necessarily the
cutting down Of the Navy or the
year building program. # tho nation
rs to enter the field Of world com.
merce It will require a big fleet. aud
there will be no question that tho
Navy can be trusted to handle its
material with the economy that comes
from efficiency.
). !.
THE War Department through the
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