The Washington herald., 1920-02-27
ARMY MEASURE
TO COME UP
NEXT WEEK
Minus Training Clause, Re
organization Bill Is Re-
ported to House.

without a provision for universal
military training. which has been
left for separate legislation, the
army reorganization bill was form
ally reported to the House yester-
day by Chairman Kahn, OF the Mil
itary Affairs Commute.
1t Is likely the measure will not
be taken up in the House before
next week, as the legislative, exec
utive and judicial appropriation bill,
now under consideration. and which
the army bill is to follow, Is not
expected to be disposed of until Sat-
urday.
A partisan fight on the reorgan-
ization legislation was indicated
yesterday. when Representative CAL
der, Democrat. of New York. filed
a minority report attacking it. .
Organization Made Flexible.
Perhaps the most notable change
which ii has been proposed to in
troduce into the regular. army"
says the majority report, is the
principle of fiexibility of organiza-
tion.
Hitherto, acts of Congress have
INC 6dhiSotAOho Va ShS
various branches in the greatest de-
tail, so that changes could be made
only by new legislation. So long as
changes must await action by Con-
gress, the army will be unable to
keep pace with changing conditions.
This bill, therefore, while IL
specifies the number OF officers and
men in each branch, does not at
tempt to go into the details of or
ganization. Moreover. an increase
or decrease in the strength of any
branch is permitted so long as it
does not exceed 10 per cent and so
long as the total strength authorized
for the whole army is not exceeded"
Weed Out Incompetence.
Under the single list system of
promotion" the report continues,
machinery is provided for the elm
ination of incompetent officers.
Those whose records show them to
be inefficient will be removed from
the service, those with less than ten
years service being discharged and
those with more than ten years sry-
ice being placed on the retired list
at reduced rate of pay"
The bill changes the scale of re-
tired pay so as to restrict the maxi
pay u lutSc
who have served nineteen years.
a new grade of warrant officer
is created, intermediate between
the commissioned officers and en-
listed men. This change, the report
points out. makes adequate provi-
sion for former enlisted men who
served as officers during the war,
but who do not possess uualIfica-
ti"ns which would fit them for per
nInent commissions"
Fill Vacancies by Appointment.
Vacancies among officers in the
regular army, the bill provides, will
he filled by the appointment of per-
sons who served as temporary of
ficers during the war. Appoint
ments of this character up to the
grade of colonel are authorized and
the age limit for those who may
he taken in under this provision
is fixed at 50 years.
The bill abolishes the regular army
resC rye. in which service for a certain
period was compulsory for men who
had served in the regular army. To
take its place. the enlisted Reserve
Corps authorized by the national de-
f"n'e act is given wider scope. so
that ii may include trained men of all
''s'A-H "iiO may NOiuuNdIllg tnllSl III IL
Filters Get Extra Pay.
The provisions concerning reserve
officers have been revised particularly
in the feature of making appoint
nents possible in any grade for which
the man Is qualified. instead of limit
inS this. "a the present law does,
to 'rad' not above that of major.
Pay increases of 20 per cent are
"A. "A TpF 81
actually engaged in flying duty.
ChaDlains Will not have military
rank. but will receive military pay
and allowances based on length of
service. the maximum being that of
lieutenant colonel. instead of major
o < at present.
Nr. CalGwell's minority report do
clared the bill is not constructive
Tut destructive" lie il especially op-
posed To the action of the majority in
omittinS universal military train