Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-11-01

temporary officers who, with their reg
ular officers. win complete their quota
OF the $4,000. These selections are well
under way and it will be necessary
that the discharge from the servicei Of
all temporary officers not so selected
for retention, be accomplished before
November /, 1919.
This means the discharge within the
next five weeks of approximately TO-.
000 emergency officers. most Of whom
desire to remain in the service but for
whom there are no vacancies under
the law. In determining the manner
in which temporary officers are TO be
/ retained, the department has been
guided by the consideration that the
immediate commanders know best the
relative merits of the officers under
their command and are best qualified
to judge which officers will be of the
greatest value to the military estab-
lishment for the particular work to
be accomplished by this establishment
between now and June 30, 1920. The
army has important work to do before
/ mat ualEs anu tic IClCltllOL VI LCin
porary officers must be based upon
their fitness to do this work rather
than as a reward for their services
during the war
Ranks Must Be ReadIusted.
The war department has fixed the
number of officers that there may be
in each grade of the 1900 officers
thereby terminating the opportunity
for extensive promotion that has ex-
listed during the war. In getting the
$4,000 officers into these grades, there
must be sacrifices of rank and pay
throughout the service; a necessary
consequence Of readjusting the rank
of officers from that held in a military
force having 100000 officers to those
they can properly hold in a force hav-
ing only $4,000 officers.
The temporary officers to be retained
viii be largely applicants for perma
| nent appointment. These officers
along with all others have reached
grades in the large army raised during
the war that they cannot expect to
hold in the small peace-time force. A
determination of the decrease in rank
of these officers in order to properly
fit them into the new commissioned
force will be made by the war depart
ment and announced in orders.
Much Treaty Legislation Needed.
Ratification of the treaty of peace
with Germany will not end the
responsibility of congress in con-
nection with the pact. There will
still remain the question as to how nu-
merous provisions of the treaty are to
be administered. 1t is reasonably GER
tain that congress, in enacting legisla-
ton that will be necessary in order to
put into effect many provisions Of the
treaty so far as the United States is
concerned. will see to it that broad
powers are retained by the legislative
body, or at least by the senate. Assum-
ing that the treaty, with the League of
Nations covenant included, win be rati-
fed with certain reservations, it will
be necessary for the United States
to have representatives on a large num-
Der Of international tribunals.
The treaty is silent as to how these
representatives of the government shall
be appointed. Should congress fail to
act, the president would appoint in
every instance, But congress, so the
leaders in the two houses say, has no
thought Of failing to act. 1t win pro-
vide, through legislation, If present
plans are carried out, that all repre-
sentatives Of the United States on the
international tribunals shall be nomi-
mated by the president and confirmed
by the senate.
When the treaty goes into effect
there viii be opened up an entirely
new field Of international activity. It
is field that VIM call for trained
men Of the best type. Congress will
fix the salaries Of these men and will,
of course have to appropriate money
to meet the expenses of the United
States In participating in the numer-
GUS new international activities.
viii Require Many Experts.
There win have to be a mixed arbi-
trial tribunal established between each
of the allied and associated powers on
the enc hand and Germany on the
other within three months after the
ratification Of the treaty. Each Of these
tribunals is to consist Of three mem
bers. The United States will, in case
the treaty is ratified, appoint one mem
Der OF the tribunal which is to repre-
sent 1t, Germany will appoint one mem
Der, and the two thus appointed will
choose the third. There win also have
to be created permanent commission
which viii advise the council Of the