The spectator., 1921-10-18
enough in zero weather here to keep the political pot boiling.
 War Department Saves Money.


 to save money The word from -Budgctman Charles C, Dawes IS that Secretary Weeks has succeeded in slashing things Perhaps l am put ting it somewhat rudely, and perhaps Secretary Weeks may not like it II he should happen to see it, but l am convinced that he wishes he had not been compelled to save money along certain lines, although perfectly will ing to save it along other lines.
 Congress has cut the American army force to 150,OO0 men by an net of leg islation. Of course here is big saw ing and the credit for 1t cannot go to the secretary of war, because 1t IS what might be called perforce say ing. but 1t Is said that the secretary has saved money in other ways and 1 believes that he has done 1t without hurting what Is left of the service.
 The American army today has about 13.O00 officers possibly 13,5OO. Seem- ingly this number is disproportion- ate to the number of enlisted men. but the word of the War department Is that there is work enough for all these officers to do, and that there IS no necessity of cutting down the com missioned personnel. Your core spondent has reason to think that Secretary Weeks Is strongly opposed to any decrease in the army officer list Many May Lose Commissions. There is fear. however, In the scrv- ice that when congress gets through with Mir. Fordney's tax and tariff legislation 1t will turn it's attention to the army and will legislate some hundreds and perhaps thousands of men out of their commissions. 1 great many of the young officers en- tered the service on the plea that | they were needed, and 1t was patri- | otic duty to serve their country. Some of them left good paying post 1 tons In private business with assured | futures to answer the call. The proc l ess of sending them back to civil life by legislative act might be called something worse than heartless. It probably would be bad business any way.
 There are some ranking officers of the army who think that q decrease in the commissioned personnel Is pos slble without working m injustice to the younger officers. Probably the means for securing a reduction which Is being thought on by some of these ranking officers may seem a bit heart less also, but If their method of reduc- ton In the officers lists is adopted no- | body will suffer heavy pecuniary loss, although they may suffer somewhat in | soul.
 There are military men who think that there should be lot of com | pulsory retirements in the service. l Officers who have served 30 years can | be retired by executive order, but al- ways in such case there necessarily must be suggestion that the officer 1 has outlived his usefulness, or that he better than others can be spared from active duty.
 There are also good many officers who voluntarily can retire because of the length of their service, but who have some years to go before reaching the age limit when retirement is com pulsory. The suggestion has been that some of these men might be in- duced to retire to make room at the top.
 Creating the Reserve Corps
 General Pershing and his staff are hard at work trying to create real reserve corps for the army. There are something like T5.000 reserve off cers who already have been commis- stoned This seems like large num- ben but 1t Is not enough in case the United States should be compelled to raise another army like that which went to the front. or was ready to go to the front In 1918.
 The real need of the reserve corps strength. As yet there are few en- listed men in the reserve corps. It will be difficult to bring the young 1 Americans into the reserve unless in- ducements are offered. Just what course will be pursued Is not yet known, but 1t Is said that the gen eral staff hopes to have real re- serve army.
 It Is claimed that the work of re- constituting the National Guard and of conducting citizens training camps. has been carried on with energy. All the great combat divisions which won such high distinction during the World war; arc to be reconstructed. It Is known that the strength of all the National Guard units which the War department has recognized since the first of the year Is 124,0OO. Last March there were only S.562 fe1erally recognized National Guard officers. Today there are virtually twice that number and this Is q marked and sat. isfactory increase. of course.
 The work of organizing and local. ixing the reserve corps units into staff corps areas Is now In progress. on.