Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-15
Army and Navy News

HHERE II hopeful note In the
sta rs Army appropriation bill as II
comes from the COMMITTEES. II
has provided literally for AL
the activities of the Regular Army and
has met amply the needs OF the Ma
ttonal Guard. 1t has scupulously re-
frainad from touching the question OF
MILITARY policy. From what 1t mas
done for the guard one may easily in
Ter that there is no thought OF inter-
fering with the growth OF that or
ganization. 1t rather seems as II
Congress may seek its development
and strengthening. 1t has been sug-
gested by high authorities on mill
tary subjects that the guard may be
employed to advantage as reser-
voir into which graduates of the mill
fary training centers Of the nation
may flow and be kept together. to be-
come a force available in hurry in
case an emergency calling for them
should arise.
Although refraining from questions
Of policy. the committee has shut out
discussion of big Army. The num-
her of men to be returned from France
added to the number to be mustered
out in this country Will, on July l.
farge that. under the slow processes
OF discharge and closing camps. on
the basis of this bill, there will be
small margin of funds for Army pay
unless the Army is cut down promptly
and largely.
- s-F,a and of tho ap,ercency seems
'to,be in sight, and with it the dis
charge of the bulk of the Army is
bound to follow. there is no doubt
that the number in the Army will de-
crease rapidly. Then the intense
question will be how to recruit it to
strength again.
s3,,: r X
,'ntrhe War Department has recently
appointed a board to consider means
80. of improving the
Improving Breed breed of Ameri-
of Army Horses. that in event of
war there will be no shortage of
good cavalry horses, good artillery
horses and good horses for, general
lse Nor will they neglect to con-
aiter the lowly but useful mule. 1t
may surprise some to learn that the
American horse was not the best in
the world. although it was the United
States that furnished more than any
other country of the animals that
fought the war. But the filling of
that demand has left the country
worse off than ever before for the
class of animal that the Army needs.
l.,is manifest that the shortage in
class can only be made good by care
IN breeding. The experiment, begun
by the Department of Agriculture
several years before the war. of Sc
curing number of good sires for
worked out we'll for the farmer; but
was not satisfactory in obtaining
horses suitable for the Army. Ac-
esOrdingly the Secretary of War has
appointed this board to try to work
out better answer to the problem
now to be solved.
II board can find the answer, this
board ought from the nature of it's
personnel, to succeed. From the Army
there will be Maj. Gen. Carter. a cav
&lry officer known to all the service;
Mai. Gen. Snow. chief of the field ar
tsliery, and Col. John S. Fair. who was
Chief of the remount division in
Texas during the Mexican demonstra-
tton and chief of the remount diyi-
SION during the earlier part of the
present war up to the time of his pro-
motion These officers know both the
A1r,my and horses. To this board will
hSna added from civilian life some OF
thf biggest breeders and best horse
men OF the nation; and there is little
qoupt that. unless something unfore-
seen interferes, they will evolve a
plan that will help the farmers and
Greatly improve the breed of horsasl
especially of the class required tor
the Army.
nNo proposition more intensely
aeyuses the interest of Army officers
-. than that of
Army Personnel Div. prom ton
il. of the General STAFF. nnu assign !,
the task of organizing the personnel
d5.y!tsien offers no sinecure- to the Off
dse, placed at its head. There is per-
hARs not an officer in the Army who
N,ttld not express himself in favor
of.,,the principle of selective promo
tion; and yet, most unfortunately, ex-
that the very ablest officers hesitate
rpihave, such a rod placed in the hands
OF, the Army administration. They
HNxe seen the way that the aelective
&NB SE II exercised. ana tney nave IN
nsind naval case where a medical
qfhcer of -low-grade was advanced
ever tried and able, veterans to the
highest rank within the gift Of the
executive for no given reason other
Tran The pleasure of bestowing q
&kvcrs upon q fayorite. They dread.
too the power OF assignment IL placed
e6p. freely in the hands, Of the war adj
rAtnistration. They realize that,
emitting the personal element that
entered into the case of the medical
omcer, 1t is only natural that ON
cers of ability known to the appoint
ing power will receive the favorable
appointments at the expense of those
NHh so well known. They also ac-
GatescA. readily in the general belief
tnaf - assignments friend at court
isiA Valuable asset.
As TAR as humanity possible, these
are the conditions which the director
Of personnel division has to overcome;
ana II Is easy to see why his is not a
bed of roses The director. Brig Gen
Percy b. Bishop. happens to be a field
artilleryman and his stan is largely
eonposed of artillerymen and engi-
Aaers. The reason for that IL that
nI0st of the infantrymen and cavalry
ffen had sought and received duty
with the active commands and fewer
of them were available. Yet, this
situation has been used az q basis for
criticism of the division, as IL officers
and gentlemen of the United states
Army were LICKING in q sense of fair
HsSs TO their fellow officers who were
H6k OF the same arm. The chief work
ok',the division in regard TO promo
lions has been Redistribution Of all
0fYicera Of fha ARMY and tba cor,nIa