Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-01

greater bearing upon the quality of
its service and none presents more
difficulties than that of the selection
and classification of officers. There
never has been a method of selection
and promotion and assignment that
has been satisfactory to the War De-
partment, and 1t is certain that there
will never be one wholly acceptable
to the officer personnel. If an angel
should devise the system purely for
the good Of the service, the arrange
ment would not be approved by Off
GERS, who, being human, want the
scheme that will give each of them
what he thinks he. deserves. AS the
War Department and the personnel
officers are also human, they often have
views that differ radically from those
Of the other officers as to their proper
classification. In the absence of the
angel to make the decisions which
and officers, the Secretary of War has
resorted to the next best thing-the
only course really open to the Army
and has chosen two boards of dis
tinguished officers to review the clas-
sification of infantry and cavalry Of
Their task will be simplified for
them through the labors of the per-
sonnet branch of the general staff.
This branch Is an innovation in the
Army. and is one of the results of the
reorganization that took place in the
War Department during the last
eleven months Of the war. Under the
they come up for promotion or as
signment. were recommended by the
authority above them in the branch
of the service or the bureau to which
they were attached. Gen. March. in
the reorganization which he effected
of the division of military operations
created personnel branch charged
with the duty and responsibility Of
classifying officers and of recon-
mending them for assignment and
promotion. This branch, which is
under Brig. Gen. Percy B. Bishop, was
not created until shortly before the
signing of the armistice, and did not
close Of hostilities. Excellent officers
assigned to this Office have been
working faithfully upon the difficult
problems placed before them and have
been making a careful study of the
records and efficiency of reports of
all officers of the infantry and cavalry
of the Regular Army.
AS a result of this study they have
classified all infantry and cavalry Of
fcers tentatively according to their
efficiency.
The of1cers named for the boards
the substitutes for the angel-are
Lieut.. Gen. Robert L. Billiard. Maj.
G. Leonard. composing 2ie infantry
board, and Maj. Gen. Jesse Mel. Car
ter. Brig. Gen. F. NJ. Caldwell and
Brig. Gen. j. 8. VIM composing the
cavalry board. Lieut.. Gen. Billiard was
the officer appointed as second to Gen.
Pershing, and was in command of
one Of the United States armies in all
Carter organized and was in command
Of the Lafayette division, which he
had ready for transportation when
the armistice rang down the curtain.
Gen. Carter is recognized in the Army
as the specialist in cavalry matters,
head the second Of the two boards.
One reason why these boards are
necessary is found in the fact that,
while there are chiefs Of field ar
tillery, coast artillery, engineers and
Signal Corps, there are no officers
OF either the cavalry or the infantry.
The great need of such a classifi-
cation impressed the. officers in the
new personnel division, and their eff
forts, resulting in boards composed Of
such officers, may be taken as earnest
OF the work that is expected and re-
Quired Of them.
X X
The plight Of the War Department
in its lack Of recruits for the Regular
Army is such
Getting Recruits that in its
=, a t e m pt to
for the q. s. Army. induce $4,000
resorted to the wartime method of
sending our Army bands. Army search
lights, camouhaged tanks and all
the paraphernalia Of wartime ad-
vertising in the desire to induce
young men to join the ARMY.
1t Is possible that these methods. al
though expensive, will be successful
in recruiting the required $4,000; but
1t does not present very attractive
picture Of the prospects Of raising the
100000 men for the Regular Army, in
case Congress shall enact such legis-
lation.
The War Department has given out
that it has submitted to the chairmen
Of the committees of the Senate and
the House a proposed bill to author
ize the enlistment Of non-English-
speaking citizens and aliens. 1t is the
1t receives the authority. to organize
recruit educational centers for in
struction of non English speaking re-
oruits. The War Department has not
made clear its motive for recommend
ing this course. Several motives,
however. suggest themselves. Quite
reasonably, the first is that the War
~ IN Ga
cure Americans for the service. is
obliged to resort to aliens and for
efgners; and for the sake of inducing
them to enter the Army holds out the
inducement of a course at recruit
educational CENTER" where the for
the language of the Army that he Inns
entered. Or it may be that the Secre.
tary Of War finds this an easy way Of
giving to aliens who do not speak the
language training that will fit them
for their duties as American citizens.
and has recommended the plan from
philanthropical standpoint. But ex-
actly why means should be taken to
fill the ranks of the United States
Army with aliens who must have
special courses to enable them to
understand the language does not ap-
pear in the statement. The develop
ment Of polyglot Army will excite
attention and doubtless also the ex-
pertinent Of converting it into an
English -speaking Army.
X \
Good craftsmanship as well as COM
mon sense unite to put the United
States Army on
Army on Footing afootins where.
rl e ur in event of
\" 0'S"' VI ""A' war, the end