Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-16

| as the lessons OF the war ana the ex-
periences since the signing Of the
armistice show to be needed.
| 1t is no secret that the Senate COM
mittee has secured the advisory as
sistance of Col. ]. McA. Palmer in
formulating a bill along the lines the
committee determines to report to
the Senate, and this Is 4 practical
guarantee that it will be technically
correct. No one can say just what the
bill will contain infits finished shape
nor what effect the so-called National
Guard bill will have upon their deci-
sions; but some things seem quite
| certain Of receiving the approval of
the committee in its report to the
Senate.
It may be assured that it will con-
tain recommendation for q system
| as will insure physical development
| give the youth the elements OF mil
itary training, teach him something in
| vocational way that will be Of use
to him in after life: and that Hitter
ates will have a chance to overcome
unqualified approval Of Gen. Perish
ing, as well as that of almost every
other military man. whether OF the
| regular Army or from the citizen
force. Gen. March and the Secretary
of War approved OF it in principle.
although not recommending a long
period Of training. 1t will also pro-
| vide for a citizen army.
There is strong indication that
the report will favor degree OF Sc
lection in promotion of oficers. with
| a liberal application of the practice
positive enforcement, somewhat akin
to the old plucking system OF the
INavy-only applied in a different man
ner. 1t is accepted that the elimina-
| ton rule will be favored by all the
| officers. who are DESTROYS of seeing
! that so weakened 1t. especially in the
of selective promotion will not be
! looked upon so kindly by the many
| who fear that "propinquity" has an
| effect upon advancement. It Is the
promotion system in every way that
it can devise to protect officers against
| unfavorable influences. 1t Ia by no
means improbable that the promotion
| to class will be by selection and the
promotion from class will be by
| seniority.
| 1t seems to be assured that all Of
| ficers will be promoted from a single
| list. and that is a measure which seems
! to meet with the approval Of nearly
all officers who have been heard on
| the subject. 1t means that there will
engineers. the cavalry, the field artil-
lery or other branch Of the service.
but that all will stand on the same
footing. 1t will do away with one Of
the oldest causes Of friction among
officers on the tender subject of Army
promotion.
Just what The attitude Of the COM
rrvf11 H4 avsl hA =
tho general stan is uncertain, al
though one subject seems to be set
tied. 1t will not recommend that Gen.
gress undertake to regulate the staf
other than to require that every Off
Ger assigned to duty upon it shall first
perienoe, by courses taken to fit him
for the duty. and finally by practical
tests that demonstrate that he is suit
able material for the staff. It is not
possible that Congress by it's action
| will indorse the assumption of author
| 1t may have been. which was notice.
able in the War Department during
the latter part of the war.
The advocacy by Secretary Crowell
Of placing army supply in the hands
Of civilians is under careful considera-
ton. 1t possesses the great merit of
creating an Office to keep the War De-
national production. although his sug-
gestion for parallel working Of civil
ian and military officials seems not to
meet the approval Of officers.
Whether the report will come out
before adjournment is another ques-
ton. and it hardly is possible in any
event that Congress will take action
this month: but it is certain that as
soon as the way is open after dis
poeal Of the peace treaty Congress