Evening star., 1921-01-16
THE ARMY

4 THE ARMY
"Maladministration of the law" by
inquiry boards appointed with a view
10 eliminating certain officers from
the Army was the charge recently
made before the House committee
on military affairs by Samuel T. An
sell. former acting judge advocate
general of the Army. Citing cases of
several of these certain otficers,'' who
had appealed to Ansell for advice. and
upon request of the House committee,
Ansell stated that i'll the functioning
of these boards the judge advocate
generals department had not been
consulted as to legal procedure.
Specific charges were made by Ansell
of officers placed on these boards who
had been instrumental in entering the
original deduction placed against the
officer on trial, and that the evidence
in every complaint he Investigated
showed only "black marks" and in
' no case was the meritorious service of
an officer introduced in evidence.
Among number of criticisms
charged was that counsel for officers
ordered up for examination were not
permitted or allowed to examine
charges against them until the day of
trial. and then only in the presence of
she board. Mr.. Ansell declared. That
secrecy was the watchword even TO
the names of members of the board
before whom the officer ordered on
trial was to appear According to the
law. he said. final appeal in event of
adverse decision was permitted to be
made to the President. but the Secre-
tary of War SO ruled that his decision
in reviewong these cases would be
final. According to Ansell the present
policy of the department in eliminat-
ing regular officers of the Army by
what he termed illegal methods is "a
menace to the 5000 officers in our
Army" asked by Mr.. Miller of the
military committee if Mr.. AnSell had
any suspicion as to the reason why
the department had taken this method
of eliminating officers. he said: 81 do
not know. but intend to test this
policy in the courts with a view to it's
correction" Citing several cases, An
sell mentioned an officer with twenty
eight years of faithful service who
was literally thrown out on the street
without a dollar on evidence which
would not have been accepted by any
court or tribunal: a marked man for
life without even having been given
the consideration shown prisoner
discharged from a military prison.
Concluding his remarks. Anseil
recommended that before final deci-
ION is rendered against an officer by
the classification board, the legality
OF it's actions and findings should be
passed upon by the judge advocate
general of the Army. in order that the
final decision rendered would be Ju-
dicial and in keeping with the law.
One or Three Year Enlistments.
Expressions of opinion by Army Of
ficers and certain members OF the
committees on military affairs as to
the merit of one or three year enlist
ments are at variance. 1t is gener
ally believed in the Army that
three-year enlistment is more desir-
able, as training during the first y.ar
produces only the rudimentary knowl-
edge to be gained by soldier This
is particularly noticeable where en-
listments 70 rthe staff are made for
one year. for by the time recruit
finishes two or three months training
and drill at recruit depot and Is
then assigned to a staff corps good
ly portion OF his years enlistment
will have elapsed. If he expresses
desire to be diseha arged at the end of
one-year period, the work laid out
for him in the interval must neces-
however. his, enlistment is for three
years. he is trained for field or staff
work with the hope of his superior
officer that at the termination OF ;
three years the soldier will desire re-
enlistment. From an Army stand !
of the longer term enlistment is well
taken.
There are members of the military
committees. however. who take the
the one-year enlistment is second only
TO universal military training-that /
men will enlist for one year who
might not consider a trv-out in the
Army for longer period. They be-
lievc the most effective methods of
training the maximum number of men
for national defense is the offer of a
minimum term of enlistment. They
further believe. as a sequence. that a
desirable percentage of one-year men
will seek re-enlistment. and from this
number the Army will be provided
with the nucleus of it's permanent
force. Members of Congress in touch
with military affairs believe if this
policy is carried into effect that the
Army's popularity throughout the ma.
tion will be materially enhanced and
fits value better appreciated. They
further believe that the shorter pc
riod of enlistment would do away
with much disgruntlement arising
years, find themselves unified for the
service. 1t is their belief that if an
appeal is made offering young men
throughout the country a years set
Up" in military training, with it's con-
seouent healthful result. the answer
Will be met with a sufficient number
OF men who in time of emergency
would prove the back bone of national
land defense. On the other hand
there are men in and out of Congress
who believe that the Army should be
fortified by n-soldiers-men
called to training for short period
each year.
Delay in Promotions.
Promotions OF lieutenants who took
the examinations for promotion in
July. 1920. will not be announced
until the completion of the second
Jart of the single list, which work
is expected to be finished and an
proved the latter part of this month
The preparation of this second part
of the list. which is combination
OF the second and third sections Of
the single list containing the names
OF the captains and lieutenants and
all new appointments in these grades.
is well advanced and completion de-
pends upon the work of the board Of
officers charged with arranging the
list The board has been delayed be-
cause some of its members were
called upon to do other duty.
Jazz IL King.
Reports from the new school for
recruit musicians at Columbus bar
racks. Ohio, state that more than 100
pupils are in attendance. and an
urgent request is made for a number
of additional band Instruments. OF
which the saxaphone seems most to