Evening star., 1920-02-29
Army and Navy News

Il b expected that the naval board
Of awards, Of which Rear Admiral
Knight Is chairman, will submit its
report to the Secretary Of the Navy
in q few days. revised in so far as
was found necessary by additional
data referred to it. Not many mate
rial changes are looked for in the
recommendations contained in the
original report Of the board. action on
which by Secretary Daniels gave rise
60 the protest of Rear Admiral Sims:
After the submission OF this revised
report the board will take up for
consideration entirely new cases
based on evidence not available when
the original report was made. As
has been announced by Secretary
revised by the knight board will be
submitted to the President for his
personal consideration before any
awards are made.
Compulsory Training in Guam.
Although Congress hesitates to
adopt a policy OF universal military
training for the people of the United
States. it has never interfered with
the operation of q system of that kind
inaugurated by the Navy Department
several years ago in Guam, mld-Pa-
cific island to which the United states
,tll .s.s as 9 result OF il,e% the wa, s.s with n
population of $4,000 Polynesians and
a few hundred whites. the latter COM
prising the American naval colony. by
whom the government Is admins
tered. Universal training was es-
tablished there before the United
States entered the war against Ger,
many not so much for defensive and
offensive purposes as to enforce dis
cipline and healthful exercises for hy-
Rienic purposes. Marked improve
ment in the general health of the ma
tives resulted Under the prevailing
system all native boys must drill four
hours weekly. from the time they are
seven years old until they reach the
age of sixteen. During those years
they are put through Swedish exer-
Cises to music, close order company
movements and American outdoor
games. At the age of sixteen years
they automatically pass into the Guam
militia and receive regular military
training SO far as that Is possible un-
der the circumstances. until they
reach the age OF twenty-three years,
when they go into the reserve corps.
AT present the militia has strength
of 921 members. including band. and
Guam nag. The militiamen have no
uniform, their tropical climate pre-
cluding the use of much clothing. and
their arms consist of old rifles cap
tured from the Spanish and some
Springfield rifles abandoned by the
United States marines stationed there.
1.-THE department of war is a mill
tary board composed of the command
ing marine officer. the naval aid OF
the naval governor and the chief OF
the insular patrol No emergency
has ever arisen for the employment
rrYfo NJ q
island home.
Training of Reserve 0meers.
Two conferences are to be held at
the State, War and Navy building
during March between Army officers
on duty with the Reserve Officers
Training Corps and representatives
Of educational institutions in all
parts of the country interested in the
system Of military training. The
conferences will be directed by Col.
Frank J. Morrow Of the war plans
division Of the general staff. who is
chief Of the Reserve omoers' Train
pose Of the conference is to bring
about a better understanding be-
tween the two elements in advanc-
ing the cause in which they are mu-
tually interested. The first conference
VII! u0 HStu eonotIo" cnu WI Oe
tended by officers in charge OF
affairs representing I the various
department commanders and chiefs
of services, and by certain professors
Of military science and tacticA 1t
educators representing the following
educational associations: The Asso-
citation of American Colleges. the AS
sociation of Land Grant Colleges the
Association OF American UniverdtieA l
the Association Of State Universities
the Association Of State COLLEGES the
Association of Normal Schools, the
Associati6n of Urban Universities.
the Association of Separated State
Universities, the Catholic Educational
Association and the Association of
Military Colleges and Schools. Many
important matters connected with Re-
serve Officers Training Corps affairs
will be discussed.
The second conference will begin
March IL. At that conference men,
bers Of the general staff will meet
superintendents and other represent
atives of high schools for the purpose
OF considering various problems con-
nected with the Reserve Officers Train
ing Corps in the high schools.
Aray's War On GreG.
According to Col. John S. Chambers,
chief Of the personnel division Of the
quartermaster generals ONCE. the
United States Army was twenty years
ahead Of the country at large In abol-
ishing strong drink. In q special report
on 'the passing Of John Barleycorn
from the service" he shows that liquor
was part of the Army ration up to the
early part of the civil war. In 1868.
however. due to the restricted supply
available. he says. only one gill per
man daily was allowed for issue in
cases of excessive fatigue or severe
exposure. After the close Of the civil
war the Issue of liquor as part Of the
ration was abolished by failure to in
clude its provisions in the appropria-
tions for subsistence of the Army.
Thereafter the history Of the career of
liquor in the Army was intimately
connected with the gradual evolution
OF the post exchange. In 1862 Con-
gress required the inspector general
OF the Army to prepare a list Of ar
ticles to be sold by suffers to Off
GERS and soldiers of the volunteer
service. That list included all articles
OF ordinary merchandise and showed
that the sale of intoxicating liquors
was prohibited. Following The civil
war the Army was scattered mostly at
Isolated posts in what was then the
great west" and the vicinity of the
posts became cluttered with saloons
gambling joints and similar places
designed to separate the soldier from
his pay. To remedy that situation
Congress in 1870 authorized the MAIN
tenance OF one or more trading estab-
hshments at frontier posts by persons
appointed by the Secretary Of War. 1t
also was provided that these traders
should be under the protection and
military control of the commanding
omcer as camp followers" Then grew