The Washington times., 1921-09-18
SNAP INTO IT,
PLAN ADOPTED
BY WAR DEPT.
Recognized System Of Admin
istration Puts Pep" in
Office Force.
SEC. WEEKS RESPONSIBLE
Has Instituted Methods Which
Proved Effective With Staff
of Pershing.

Snap and precision; shun obstruc-
tons; keep things moving toward re-
suits; "can do. will do" sums up in
everyday English the propelling di-
rections back Of the Var Depart
ment today. Overseas headquarters
methods which made ChaumoEt,
France, a center Of woodworking.
iorwardgoing activities, have been
adopted by Secretary Weeks, who was
looking in that direction when he Sc
lected General Pershing for his chief
of staff
The old casual atmosphere Of the
War Department Is gone Ard in its
place there Is apparent a business
like trend which is even noticeable in
the corridors OF the State, War and
Navy building in the absence OF Off
GERS passing in and out of swinging
doors. They are kept busy at their
desks and the messengers are doing
the walking OF corridors.
Weeks Starts Plan.
The new method got it's start when
Secretary Weeks late in July sent q
memorandum addressed to the chief
Of staff covering the Presidents in
depreciation of the Army reorganiZa-
ton law. This view in effect d.
iected General Pershing to take up
the biggest task of his career, get
the Regular Army down to bedrock,
the 4NdllOIdl anu re-
constitute the divisions OF his victori-
Gus army and organize them into the
reserve.
Just a month ago the Secretary
placed his approval on the plan for
organizing the General Staff. and also
drew the line sharply between the
General Staff and the Adjutant Cen
erals Department in an order which
left no doubt as to the policies and
raunla tinpa nndar which both IN
operate. The General Staff plan simp-
ly threw out as obsolete the plan under
which the War Department had oper
ated since the world war, replacing IT
with the scheme which had proved
correct in the experiences in France.
In order to give General Pershing a
free hand for the larger activities.
Maj. Gen. James G. Harbard was des
ignated Deputy Chief of Staff, to act
for General Pershing at any time and
allowing him to report direct to SeCre-
tary Weeks and to supervise the bust
ness of all the divisions in the War De
partment.
The staff designations used at Chau
mont were adopted Gil replaces the
former personnel division; G-2. the mill
tary intelligence; G-3, the operations
and training, and CA the supply divi
sion. For the G-5 division, there Is
now the War Plans division which is
constantly at work on plans of offense
and defense. This division is the most
important for this reason: When war
comes ii moves into the field under
General Pershing as commander OF the
armies and starts work as his field
general headquarters. This means
that for any emergency the officers
who have worked on war plans and
studied all possible situations during
peace will be ready to start for the
scene of action, establish headquarters
and take hold of all activities Of the
army Immediately.
At its head is Col. Bryan II. Wells.
of distinguished service in France, who
in the field becomes the comma nding
generals chief of staff. The officers
under him take the direction of the
divisions, Gil, G-2. Ga and CA, and
the same divisions here in the War
Department go on as usual without
being disturbed by war except to :he
extent of sparing members of their
staffs for the field headquarters. The
bulk Of the expansion in the field staff.
however. will come from the Army
War College.
Plan Is Very Simple.
1t is all very simple and places the
War Department in peace on a war
footing so that when war comes there
will he no serious disturbance in the
department organization, as there was
when war on Germany was declared
in 1917. At that time every officer |
belonging to a combat branch quit the |
department as soon as he could get |
relief and joined his branch for ac-
tive service in the field. Under the |
new plan officers on department staff
duty will be retained while only the |
war plans division moves into the |
fold In attending "a fixpI n1athnH for |
both peace and war, the War Depart |
men has profited by the world war ex-
perienCe and the commanding general |
also has gained an experienced and |
efficient staff Immediately available |
for strategiCal employment in the |
theatcr Of hOstilities.
The new scheme went into effect |
on September ! and It has worked |
smoothly from the start. Officers on
duty in the War Department are en-
'husaStir over the change because
the plan designs every man to definite |
duty and charges him with certain /
authority. He Is constantly doing
work that has an important bearing
On the army's activities in the war,
and the average officer finds the
change agreeable and feels that he is
accomplishing something having an
Influence on the national prepared
ness. 1t is 'all on paper" to be sure.
but the paper" is redeemable in war
at par. The General Staff is now a
harmonious working organization,
confirming its activities in working. de.
vcloping and execution of the army's
program in military operations. 1t
has been shorn OF all administrative
duties and now devotes all it's time
and energies to the emergencies OF
war. preparing for mobilizing, organic.
ing. supplying, equipping and train
ing the army for use in the national
defense.
In the last analysis, the War De.
partment under Secretary Weeks Is
performing it's work as a war office.
and the Secretary is certain that the
plan now in operation will never have
to be changed or seriously modified. 1t
merely puts into practice the best
lessons Of the World War and sets up
an organization which in time OF
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