New-York tribune., 1920-01-02
Congress Must Provide for
Permanent Promotions,
Says Secretary, Recalling
Rule for Service Rank
Temporary Basis Fixed
Officers in Emergency
Work. to Retain Present
Positions, March Is Told
NeW York Tribune
WUsHin Ufoo1 P,,re1,,


WASHINGTON, Jan. Until Con-
gress passes legislation increasing the
regular army to some figure greater
than the present authorized strength,
or specifically authorizes promotion of
veterans of the service, most of whom
have suffered reductions to their pre-
war rank by the War Departments sys-
TEN OF demotioi, no promotions will be
made or any steps taken by Secretary
of War Baker to readjust the present
inequalities in rank in the army
That admission was made by Secre-
tary of War Baker in his latest rulings
on promotions, given in a memoranda,
to General Peyton c. March, chief of
staff, copy of which was made avail
able to-day at the War Department.
In this memorandum Secretary
Baker rescinds his previous ruling on
permanent rank for members Of the
service, In which he promises re-
hard and fast rule Of maintaining in
their present rank all officers who are
performing what is characterized as
"emergency work"
Secretary Baker cites in his memo
rsndum his appearance before the SEN
ate Military Affairs Committee on the
1900 officer bill end quotes his
answers to suggestions made by Sen
ator Wadsworth and Senator Johns on
on the question Of promotions.
Rule for Promotions
The Secretary's answer to inquiries
Mt ha ctoh Itch rIo1, ~
his disinclinatlon to authorize promo
tions Sin recognition Of past services" j"
and holds to the point that promo
tions only as are appropriate to the
responsibility of the task" will be made.
Secretary Bakers complete memo
randum to General March follows:
81 have considered carefully the ques-
tion Of the proposed readjustment Of
rank under the $4,000 officer bill. The
original Circular No. 439, issued Sep
tember 26, it seems to me, plainly in
Inmates that some effort will be made
to readjust rank in the apportionment
to the services of the regular army
Of the portion Of the 1900 officers not
circular announces the intention of fol-
lowing Section 25 of the national de-
fense act
I'm the meantime. as you know. sew
eral suggestions have been made on
this subject, looking TO a more ex-
tensive readjustment Of rank. Four or
tive different plans have been brought
up; some of them involving single
list promotion of both staff and line,
based upon length of commissioned
service, or promotion based upon exist
ing relative rank as applied to either
line and staff or line alone.
Two Points Involved
"The problem presented involves,
first, providing for the needs of the
army in the present transitional pc
riod. and second, readjustment of rank.
In behalf of the second of these ele-
ments it is claimed that there exists,
by reason Of previous station, great
disparity of relative rank in the several
arms; that this has been h cause of
grievance and is likely to be remedied
in forthcoming legislation; that the
1S 600 officer bill presents an oppor-
tunity for such equalization now, and
that the effect Of such equalization
would be to create spirit Of salts
faction in the service at large.
"The difficulties presented by the
several plans are impressive, and as to
some Of the plans the difficulties are
quite insuperable For instance, if
thoroughgoing system of rank read
justment were undertaken, applying
alike to staff and line, some OF the
staff corps would be topheavy with
high rank, while others would not have