New-York tribune., 1919-12-31
Army
System Causes
2,l 40 to Resign
Regular Officers, Finding
Themselves Reduced i'm
Rank OIL Return From
Overseas, Leave Service
NeW York Tribune
Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30.-The War
Departments policy of demoting over
seas men Immediately after they reach
this country is largely responsible for
the wholesale designations of regular
army officers from the service since
the cessation of hostilities.
1t was officially announced to-day at
the War Department that no less than
2,l46 regular officers, from lieutenant
colonels down to second lieutenants,
have left the service up to December
"A. There was no record kept of the
reason for each resignation, but it is
frankly admitted that the failure of
the War Department to retain overseas
officers in their emergency rank is the
largest contributing factor in the
wholesal" designations
The bulk Of the Registrations, Of
course. are of officers in the lower
ranks, from captain down, but it is sig
nitcant that four lieutenant colonies
and twenty-five ma jors have left the
service because their demotion came
at a time when the cost of living was
they were lleutenants in the service.
TabElation of designations
Here is a tabulation of designations,
showing how many of each rank, and
whe ether the rank was permanent or
provisional (for the emergency only).
have left the service up TO December
"a, when the latest compilation was
made:
Lieutenant coloncls (permanent)-
Infantry, |; field artillery. /; quarter
masters department, | judge advo-
cate generals office, l.
Majors manent)-lnfantry, g.;
cavalry, /; medical corps, II; en-
glneers. 5; judge advocate generals
office, |.
Captains permanently infantry, 54; !;
artillery, 20; medical corps. "a; en-
gineers, 10; chaplains, /; dental corps,
.; captains tprovlslonaD, infantry, s;
held artillery, >; engineers, g.
FIRST heutenants (permanent)-I
fantry, 33; coast artillery, 19; cavalry,
20; field artillery, IT; medical corps,
lO7; engineers, 3; chaplains, 80; dental
corps, 10; veterinary corps, /; Philip
pine Scouts, 2. First lieutenants (pro-
visionaD Infantry, 347; coast artil-
lery, 1913; cavalry, 112; field artillery
148; engineers. 81.
Second lieutenants (permanent)-
Infantry, 16; artillery. 5; cavalry, g.;
field artillery, /; engineers, l; veter-
mary corps, 8; Philippine Scouts, 5;
quartermaster's department., 3. Second
lleutenants (provisionaD - Infantry
$50; coast artillery, 1853; cavalry, 1862 !;
field artillery. "a; engineers, /; vet
erinary corps, TO-
designations by services-Permanent
Medical Corps, 143; chaplains, 81;
Dental Corps, 23; Philippine Scouts, Z;
QuArtermaster, 1 {; Judge advocate Cen
erals office, 2; Veterinary Corps, .; En-
ginoers 2S; Cavalry. 80; Field Ar,il-
isry, 50; Infantry, l01; Coast Artillery
So
Provisonal Veterinary Corps. 10;
'Engineers, 81; Cavalry, 274 Field
! Artillery, 287; Infantry, 705; Coase
/ Artillery, $50.
$50 Resign Each Month
AS evidence of the demoralzing ef
feet the War Deoartment's demoton
policy has had in the regular army, OF
ticers are leaving in wholesale num-
bers Statistics prepared by the Wa
Department on September 8 showed
that total of 1895 officers had re-
signo6 up to August 80. OF this
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