New-York tribune., 1919-12-30
Baker Rejects
Oversee Men
In L Promotions
" ar Secretary Seeks 10
Justify the Wholesale
Demoiion of Officers
Who Fought at the Front
NeW yorL Yribupe
Il aSjl,ll atom Bitycu,,

IVaSjs~ qton B,t,con
WASHlNGTON. Dec 29.- American
Army officers who led troops against
the enemy and won distinction on the
battleiiolds of France are less entitled
to retain the advanced rank they held
overseas than officers who performed
service at home and hold emergency
rank
Thls is the policy of the War De
partment. as outlined to-day by Secre-
taly OF War Baker, who justified the
wholesale demotion Of officers who
served with Pershing with the state
ment that their appointment was for
me emergency. and when they COM
pl"ted their work overseas the 'ener-
gency with them ceased
Secretary Baker frankly admitted
that the great number of reductions
occaSloned by the return home OF the
American hNpeditionary Forces had
caused condition Of seeming in
equality, but he maintained that until
congress makes specific provision for
the payment OF increased rates of com
pensation or recognizes in Legislation
the work Of these individual overseas
veterans the War Department was
helpless to apply remedy
Asked if he Would endeavor to
equallze the ranks of officers in order
10 restore the esprit de corps among
ofhcers wearing The gold stripe OF
overseas service, Secretary Baker ad-
vanced the thought chat the problem
was not easy TO solve
"unfortunate" Circumstance
We cannot keep changing the per
Sonnel Of the permanent departments
and stats Of the army by replacing
men WHO have not hee,. overseas with
men who have had foreign service" he
said That would quickly bring about a
state OF decentralization OF the whole
War Department. The case of the
overseas men is another of those un-
fortunate circumstances that are bound
to develop in the military establish
ment OF any country that is not main
tanned at fixed strength.
All we can hope for is for Congress
to pass the increased army bill, which
provides tor an increased commls
stoned personnel. and promotions Of
men found eligible. whether overseas
OF home during the war, Will then he
authorized"
Mr. Baker cited the case OF the nu-
merous boards still active in the set
tement OF war contracts as one depart
ment where apparent Inequalities ex-
lstcd, but he pointed out that it would
be difllcult to replace the experts nov
engaged in this work with regular army
officers who have had no business ey-
pellencr.
Asked if West Point man could
not qualliy on board settling claims
Secretary Baker admitted that there
were no more brilliant citizens than
the men turned out by the army school
but he maintained that the work of
setting contracts called for technica
knowledge as we'll as business sense
and that civilian experts had beer
deemed the best available
Denies Injustice
Secretary Baker would not admit tina,
injusticeS had developed in the ruthless
demotion Of officers as quickly as they
set foot on American soil after service
with the armies in France He assert
ed that Congress had enacted specific
Legislation giving the War Department
certain commissioned personnel for a
certain period. and that when that
emergency period had passed the ranl
OF the officers advanced by reason OF
the legislation should be terminated
Asked If General Pershing had not
made the matter OF demotions of over
seas men the object of special inter
himself Secretary Baker said 81 can
not discuss that
He was equally uncommunicative
when asked if General Pershing had
not insisted that a reconsde Of
the dem otions of overseas men be made
and their retention in the higher ranks
be authorized.
Perhaps the best example OF the
ruthlessness Of the War Department
system of demoting war veterans is
seen IN the present rank. as compared
With their emergency rank, of one hun.
dred officers al the General Staff col
lege here
While serving in France these one
| hundred officers ranked as follows:
Five were major generals command
ing divisions.
Thirty seven were brigadier generals
serving as chiefs Of staff of army ano
corps or commanding brigades
Fifty eight were colonies, who seryec
mostly as divisional chiefs of staff OF
on other important staff duty, or ir
command Of regiments which were In
the actual fighting.
These one hundred officers are nov
serving as follows:
Nineteen colonels, twenty-three lieu
tenant colonels, forty-six majors, twelve
captains