Evening star., 1919-12-01
RADICAL CHANGES
in ARMY ARE URGED
War Department Reorgani.
zation Favored in Secre-
tary Bakers Report.

The necessity for fundamental re-
organization of the Army and of the
War Department itself is recommended
by Secretary Baker in his annual re.
port, made public today.
He advises that the emergency or
ganiZation reduced to a peace-time
basis be made permanent. and ap-
proves the general staff bill for reg
ular establishm adequate in size
to be the nucleus of any great mill
tary mobilization the country may be
called upon to make" and backed vi
by a system of universal service.
Selective Service Law.
The Selective service law was ac-
cepted as a fair means of assigning
men to military service in time OF
war. Mr.. Baker said, but compulsory
service in time of peace would be "a
poor substitute for the volunteer
principle properly applied. Raisins
standing army by financial induce
ment is too costly 10 contemplate
he added. leaving only the method OF
making enlistment in the Army an
educational opportunity to 1urnlsh
the troops.
The recommendation for an in
creased standing army. he deciartu
should not be taken to indicate dis
inclination toward the prospect oi
disarmament.
Plan of Training.
The plan recommended Mr.. hah
said. looks to the establishment OF
systems of schools teaching the Tor
NAL branches of education and addlhs
to them the skilled trades. so tnat al
the end of a term of enlistment the
young man entering in his nlneteen,h I
wear will go back to civil life with
caf-
athletic life of the Army gives. ano
with the education and training
which will make him more EaiuaDle
in civil pursuits than he could other
wise have been" Social ana recrea-
tional opportunities also must be sup
piled, he said. SO that the sraoua {
from the Army will bring back "ltn
h;nn the social virtues which result
from education of mind and hand ac-
uuired in an environment made sum
Mating by the presence OF his
nurnose and sense of service, ana
Generous association with MS Aei-
lows" ,io,s in
MIR. Baker said the operations ~ ~
Erance would be dealt with IN the
special report being prepared oy 1eh
Pershine. Not even the allied wal
council, he said, had realized that eff
feet upon Germany of the accelerated
movement of troops and supolies from
the United States, and all plans had
been prepared for vigorous cam
paign in the spring of 1919.
The text of the initial order to Gen
Pershing, which is quoted, shows he
was instructed to keep the American
Army "a separate and distinct com
ponent of the combined forces. the
identity of which must be preserved
The method of cooperation with the
allies was left to his discretion, and
Mr.. Baker added, that the authority
thus conferred was never in any par.
ticular modified or diminished"
Opposes Air Department.
Mr. Baker opposes creation of a de-
partment of the air because of the un-
developed state of the industry. neces.
stating federal regulation" as vel
as because of military considerations
1t would be. just as fatal to separate
forces fromsthe Army, he maintained
Since June 80, 1918, the report
shows, it has been found necessary tc
use federal troops on sixteen sepa-
rate occasions to preserve law anG
order. The incidents listed range from
Industrial Workers of the World ac.
tivities in Arizona to recent move
ments in the coal fields. Mr.. Baker
concludes his report with an appre-
citation of the services of Gen. Peytor
c. March, chief of staff.