Evening star., 1918-11-24

AtLE no ana0QneemenG OF
NM the size Of the Army to be
maintained by the United
States to serve az . sort
OF police for the good behavior OF
tne world has been made. the indtca-
tons are that for some time-At least
until the wreckage of exploded en-
pres has been cleared away and
some form of stabilized government
has succeeded the1n--a considerable
Army will be a necessity. The meth
cd of selecting oncers for this force
and of readjusting questions Of rank
has not been determined. or at least
no such plan has been announced. but
a part Of 1t win be after this fashion:
1t is roughly estimated that in the
are 100000 commissioned officers. and
not all will be retained in the service.
The first class Of officers to be sepa-
rated from the Army are those who
wish to give up the service alto
gethef and have no further connec-
tfon with the national forces. They
will. in accordance with their con-
1t is said that about 5000 Of them will
be returned to this country at an
early day. The next class consists Of
ofacers who do not desire to serve
longer with the Army. but who wish
to keep up the connection In some
form They will receive an oppoftu-
nifty to be commissioned in the offi-
GERS reserve.
The officers for the new Army, by
Whatever name 1t be called, will come
from the third class, those who ex-
press their desire to remain in the
Army. the active" Army: for lack Of
at least, in theory-so it is said,
after an examination Of their monthly
ratings, which are filed in the per-
sonnel division in Washington. The
CHIEF test Of the fitness Of an officer
is his ability to handle in q salts
factory way considerable numbers Of
men.
Thus far no idea, If the department
has one, has appeared as to the dis
position and treatment Of the en-
listed men and non-commissioned
officers who do not remain in the
active" Army. It Is safe to assume
them in some organization, or it least
in some control or direction, so that
In event of future need they can be
recalled. II within suitable ages, to
further military duty.
THE good ships Mercy and Comfort,
now that the ban Of secrecy has
been lifted. it may be stated, are in.
French waters. These vessels are
hospital ships. as distinguished from
ambulance ships. which are used for
the purpose Of transporting the
wounded in safety and comfort.
The hospital ships are fitted with
all appliances for hospital treatment
the Navy. Each is fitted with 800
beds, but, like all good hospitals, they
carry cots that can be put up, and in
this way each can accommodate as
many as 500 patients. It was intend
ed that they should visit the vessels
Of the feet and evacuate the sick and
wounded, thus relieving the fleet and
giving care which the patients could
not have on battleship, but there
nave oeen so Few casualties and sick
In the fleet that have not been placed
in the shore hospitals that these ves-
sells can now be spared for the treat
ment OF Army sick and wounded, and
they are now in that service, The
Mercy and Comfort were formerly
Ward line steamers running between
New York and Havana
THE Navy. as far as its control over
the health Of the returning troops
goes, will make every effort to pre-
vent them from carrying infectious
diseases both for their own sakes
and for the protection Of the people
Of this country. This will cause some
delay in the process Of demobilixatipn,
but the protection to the public hes1th
Will easily be worth the time and ex-
pense. When the men went over they
were needed there badly, most Of
them. and the department had to take
risks that otherwise would not be
justifable. The periods for OBSERVE
ton of the embArking troops were
short, and the ships carried 1oldiers
to their full capacity.
For the return the men are -f1ar-
dened by the lives they have been
all such communicable diseases as
measles. which attack recruits when
called to big camp groups, and there
Is not the same haste to get them
back to the United States as there
was to take them to their training
Of the people on this side, all car
rfers of infection must be held, for
these men have been exposed to all
disases Of the civilized and uncivi-
lized parts Of tn world. -hey have
come into contact with Algerians,
Chinese, Indians, Germans. Austrtans,
Turks and Slavs. Naval medical offi-
GERS hold that returning troops
should be placed in camps for de-
tention and observation for at least
two weeks before embarkinE for the
return voyage, and all suspects should
be held abroad until it is certain that
there il no chance that they will
carry foreign contagion back with
them Returning transports should
not be crowded.
WHEN Maj. Gen. Peter Harris as
W sumed the ONCE Of adjutant
general Of the Army Maj. Gen. Mccain
was detached to assume command Of
the division in training at Camp