The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-10-20
enough in zero weather here to keep
the political pot boiling.
War Department Saves Money.

NAc p'ltiCdI put uViliIlS.
War Department Saves Money.
The War department is tryin!
n to save money. The word from
= Budgetman Charles G. Dawes il
u that Secretary Weeks has succeeded
in slashing things. Perhaps l am put
ting it somewhat rudely, and perhaps
e 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.
S Congress has cut the American army
force to 10000 men by an act of leg.
islation. Of course here is a big say.
y Ing and the credit for it cannot 90 to
IL the secretary Of war, because it IS
}. what might be called a perforce say
Ing, but 1t Is said that the secretary
has saved money in other ways and
believes that he has done it without
> hurting what Is left of the service.
The American army today has about
l3'OOO officers, possibly 1850. Seem.
:, lngly 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 CON-
mlssioned 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 serv.
Ice that when congress gets through
with Mr.. Fordney's tax and tariff
legislation 1t will turn its attention
to the army and will legislate some
hundreds and perhaps thousands of
men out of their commissions. A
great many Of the young officers en-
tered the service on the plea that
they were needed, and it was a patrl.
otto duty to serve their country.
Some of them left good paying posi-
tons In private business with assured
futures to answer the call. The proc.
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 decrease
IN the commissioned personnel is pos
slble without working an injustice
to the younger officers. Probably the
means for securing 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. nj
body will suffer heavy pecuniary loss, p
although they may suffer somewhat In NJ
soul. ia
There are military men who think
that there should be lot Of com.
pulsory retirements In the service. q,
Omcers who have served 30 years can f.
De retired by executive order, but al. M
ways In such case there necessarily no
must be a suggestion that the officer II
has outlived his usefulness, or that he ~
better than others can be spared from or
lctive duty. ~
Ihere are also good many officers rir
Vho voluntarily can retire because Of Ar
he length Of their service, but who W.
ave some years to 60 before reaching IN
ne age limit when retirement Is com.
ulsory. The suggestion has been thl
nat some Of these men might be In. mn
uced to retire to make room at the ton 10,
cTat'ng the Reserve Corps. be
General Pershing and his staff ara the
ard at work trying to create a real {
'serve corps for the army. There unit
re something like $4,000 reserve Off. viii
RS who already have been commits. me,
oned. This seems like a large mum. dig
II, out 1t Is not enough In case the por
nlted States should be compelled to cab
Use another army like that which stra
ent to the front, or was ready to 20 veg
the front In 1918. bee
The real need Of the reserve corns loca
Jay, Of course, is enlisted reserve abo
rength. As yet there are few en-. stra
tea men in the reserve CORPS II the
Il be difficult to bring the young linir
nericans into the reserve unless in. linlr
cements are offered. Just what eral
lrse will be pursued is not tet pile,
own, but 1t is said that the gen. cove
Il star hopes to have q real 70, need
We army. tin
t Is claimed that the work Of re-.
the National Guard and
conducting citizens training camps, :
been carried on with energy. All
great combat divisions which won
h high distinction during the World
:, are to be reconstructed II !, ~
wn that the strength Of all tho Id
lonal Guard units which the War |
artment has recognized since the S.|
OF the year is 124,OOO. Last ||sA
en- there were only 1862 federallv AI
'gnlzed National Guard officers ||N
ay there are virtually twice that |
'oer and this Is marked and sat.
Glory increase, Of course. IT, h.
ne work Of organizing and local. lssS
the reserve corps units into staff |4Sl|
9 areas is now in progress. ON. k
nave been selected in each area
a small number Of enlisted men \
oeen turned over to each corp,
to help In the work Of organization.
p"t IN Uncomfortable NIGHT.
vas hrOuphf nm IN n u IMSH