Evening star., 1921-06-05
THE ARMY

aScertained tina. although the cam
psis:n- to secure applicants for the
osszens tranng camp has only COM
,I.anred. approximately fifteen thou
sand inquiries have been received. On
the, strength of rough estimate made
during the convention by Army of1-
GERS that total applications would
reach the one -hundred-thousa nd mark
teleSrams were sent to the Secre-
tary OF Wa and the chairmen OF the
military affairs committees, Gaining
their attention to the fact mat,
owing to the limited appropriations
made by Congress this year, ohiy
10 per cent of the applicants would
lie able to attend the camps thtS sum
mer unless Congress increases the ap-
propriation. f
Declaring that the upbuiiding OF
the National Guard and ORGANIZED
reserves depends in great measure
upoa the successor the citizens mill
tary training camps, the secretary o.
War embodied the following signi1-
icant remarks in a letter to the as
sociation, which was read at the con
veption: Il am keenly Interested IN
the future of these camps anu nops
to see the actual attendance tncreaseu
from our most modest start thiS year
TO approximately one hundred anu
fifty thousa nd. as the training given
al these camps will be distinct
national asset. rms Train
ing will develop the young men
mentally, morally and physically. II
Will be of great assistance in the
Americanization of our foreign oorn
and will teach good citizenship 10 an
fortunate enough TO atteno U; oT
we again be compelled to mooiliHe
our national resources LOT val. '
nresence of this large number OF
partially trained men in civil iife VIII
he of enormous value in building ou
Regular Army. National Guard anu
organized reserves to war strenstn;
In message TO the cohEentioi: H
Archibald G Thatcher of New YORK.
newly elected president OF the asso-
citation, extended to officers OF the
Regular Army the association ap-
probation of tncirN cooperation IN
connection with the upbuilding OF the
citizens military training camps.
The belief was expressed that the
ovcrrccruitment of camps this year
will b.. the most powerful argument
for adequate congressional appropria-
tions. After advocating active SPEAK
ing campaigns in public ana private
schools. together with the co-opera-
tion OF local organizations of the
American Legion in order TO stimu-
late public interest in the camps.
President, Thatcher concluded ms
message with the following remark:
laboring man is as welcome as the
son of the rich man: that both Will be
put over the bayonef course together
and the best man will win. Let candl-
dates know that these camps train
men to be men. to give something 10
their country and to fight in case OF
reed
Eniciency or Elimination.
Covering every angle of informa-
ton pertaining to the method OF
handling the assignments of officers
whose services have not been sasls-
factory. the War Department is issu-
ing instructions to the chief OF every
branch of the Army. and to the CHIEF
of the, personnel bureau. adjutant gen
erals department. regarding the as
signment and transfer of commits
stoned personnel of the Army.
The War Department takes the view
that any officer who is able to perform
efficiently the duties of one or more
of the important categories pertaining
to the branch in which he Is commits
stoned is valuable officer to the
Army. Any officer. however. not meas
Uring up to this requirement Is con-
sidered of doubtful value and should
be reclassified and transferred to an
he has shown special qualifications. or
should be eliminated from the active
list. The view is held that any Of
ficer who has rendered unsatisfactory
service is subject for special consid-
GRAFTON by the annual reclassification
board, provided for by the act Of June
4. 1920. If his unsatisfactory service
is due to defects which make him not
only unsuitable for his own branch,
but for any other branch to which he
is eligible for transfer under the law,
he should be placed in class B.
r.
ice is unsatisfactory. due to ths fact
that he lacks particular aualifica-
tionS for the branch OF the service
in which he is commissioned. and at
the same time possesses qualifica-
tions which would probably make
him an efficient officer in another
branch to which he is eligible for
transfer under the law. he should be
detailed for duty with that branch
and given an opportunity to dem.
found qualified therein he should.
upon his own application. later be
transferred to that branch. and. upon
refusal to apply for transfer. he
should be eliminated. 1t is not con-
sidered sound policy to have an Of.
the Army. except temporarily. who
is unable efficiently to perform the
duties Of that branch.
The summary of instructions is as
follows. me Dasic principle IN max
ing assignments is to have the right
officer in the right place. The right
place may be determined by the fact
that the officer needs further train
ing, or that he is needed to perform
certain duties for which he is quail
The best interests of the service
should always be paramount in de-
Gliding this question. and usually re-
auires a study of the officers whole
record to determine it.
IAN officer receives his basic train
ing in the branch to which he is
commissioned and must be fit for
duty in his branch in peace and in
war. No attempt should be made to
find easy berths' for officers who
have rendered unsatisfactory service.
or to carry them along commissioned
fit to perform the duties. Every Of
hcer should have fair test. II he
fails in any branch. but shows fit
ness for duty in some other branch.
he should be temporarily detailed
thereto. with a view to his subse-
justifes that action. In the event
that he shows unfitness for any
branch. his case should be brought
to the attention of the annual classi-
fication board. There is now a law
providing for the elimination of in
eficient oficers and the blame must
rest entirely upon the Army il we
retain this class Of officers on active
duty"
EustiS May Remain Permanent Camp.
Favorable action has been taken by
the House military committee on Mr..
Kahn's report which accompanied q
Joint resolution 'to repeal so much Of
ruary 2S. 1890, as provides for Camp