Evening star., 1920-02-08

According to Secretary Baker. Con-
gress alone can remedy the exist
ing situation in the Army in which
many officers who served overseas
are now serving in this country under
officers junior to them in the regular
establishment. but who are still op-
Grating under the higher "emer-
gency" rank conferred on them dur
ing the world war.
THE. situation with regard to the
emergency rank" declared Mr.. Baker.
lis relatively simple. A number Of
men of the Regular Army have been
retained in their emergency rank to
complete the work for which the
emergency rank was given. AS rap
will revert to their Regular Army
-ank. ThisAplan was fully explained
TO both the House and Senate mill
.sry affairs committees at the time
he so-called eighteen thousand Of
icer bill was under discussion. That
icers in emergency rank as a reward
or. or in recognition OF. past serv-
ICE. but merely enables them to close
up the war activities of the depart
.ncnt.
meantime the situation Of very
large number of excellent officers
who held high emergency rank IN
the Army overseas and at home, and
who are now reverted to relatively
low rank in the regular estaDhsh-
ment by reason of their task pelnS
completed, is obviously one OF great
hardship The high cost OF living
alone is a serious embarrassment. ana
the lower pay of their Regular Army
rank makes it difficult for them TO
live. This matter has been discussed
by the Senate military affairs com
mittee. and it was hoped that some
a
bill which is still under considera-
tion in the Congress. I should be
very happy to sympathize with any
measure the Congress will adopt
which will provide an opportunity 10
relieve the situation. but the Difficult
ties are serious. II all officers OF the
Regular Army were to hold perma-
nertly the highest rank they held IN
the temporary establishment the
ARMY would have no Junior ohcers.
but would consist largely oI sn
rankine officers I personally know
no way under existing law In when
I can affect the present situation nor
do see how the Congress coulo I'M
move II. except by passing the pay
bill and the Army reorganiza..on
omc.r ofEa ~ ~nersonnel, will permit sub
etnntiaI number of deserved promo
tions to be made"
How the Huns Were Trickea.
"phantom Tanks Of the Argonne" is
the subject of report made to the
War Wa Department by an Officer of the the
Motor Transport Corps: "Thst , q SIN. ;.
1,e nlatoon of American soldiers,
said s he. could without firing shot,
render inactive and keep out Of the
most important battle of the war Two
full Hun divisions seems preposter-
Gus and unbelievable. Nevertheless
this is an actual fact and its accom-
nIishment was one of the most In
teresting incidents Of the whole IL IVA war, r.
Army had just finished awakening the
German high command .d,s,a, to a healthy ha rs
ducing the st. Mihiel salient and the
plans for the Meuse-Argonne offensive
were about to be carried into execu-
tion. In these days of the aeroplane
and wireless telegraph it seems i'm
| possible to deliver a surprise assault.
nevertheless no pains are spared to
deceive the enemy as to the exact
point Of attack. AS a means of cover
ing the true point of attack. the chief
OF the Tank Corps presented scheme