Albuquerque morning journal., 1921-07-18
PERSHING URGES
DEVELOPMENT Of
CITIZEN ARMIES
REGULAR Army Officers In
StruCted to Training Ma.
tionaI GuardSmen and
Organized Reserves.

OIYdIllZCu nCoCl NCos
Yspecial Correspondence TO The Journal)
washington, July 1.-THE fol-
lowing letter has been sent by Gen.
John J. Pershing, chief of starr,
TO all corps area commanders and
TO the commanding generals, Phil
ippine, Hawaiian and Panama ca
nal departments:
an assuming the office of chief
of staff, l wish tc call your at
tention especially to the important
duties of that office in directing
the organization and training OF
the army of the United States,
which now includes not only the
regular army, but the national
guard and the organized reserves
In considering these duties in the
light of the new law, I wish to i'm
mess upon corps area command
ers the provision which assigns TO
them the detailed development OF
the national guard and the organ
ized reserves. The relation OF the
war department to this organlza-
ton is largely directive, and is lin
tied in general to the issuance OF
regulations and instructions as to
policy, the assignment of suitable
personnel, and verification Of prog
ress. The success, then, of the
great national organization con-
femplated by the law really de-
pends upon the initiative, interest,
energy and organizing ability of
corps area commanders,
Peace Organization.
'It was the evident intention or
congress to provide a permanent
peace organization of our tradt-
tional citizen armies. which here
tofore have always been extempo-
rized after the occurrence Of an
emergency. As the law especially
encourages the voluntary enroll
ment of veterans Of the war in lo-
Called tactical units of the citizen
army, as it specifically contem-
plates the perpetuation or the spir-
it and traditions of the divisions
and other units which actually par
ticipated in the world war, and as
IT nrovides means of military train
ing to prepare civilians for en-
rollment in the organized citizen
forces it is clear that the purpose
of the law is to build up and main
tain a permanent military organl-
cation.
Duties CT Army Officers.
'IJnder the general terms or the
law, the chief of staff is made re-
sponsible for the success of this
great national undertaking. Equal
ly. under the terms of the law, the
corps area commanders are also
responsible within the limits of
their respective commands. In a
larger sense all officers of the reg
ular army are likewise expected to
contribute their interest, their
sympathy and their assistance in
perfecting this organization. (
would. therefore, impress upon
Won and the other corps area COM
1nanders, and through you all OF
ficers of the regular army the tact
that under the spirit of this law
their most important mission IN
time Of peace, next after assuring
a highly efficient and we'll trained
regular army, is the development
of the national guard and the or
ganized reserve. In thus emphasiz-
ing the duty of regular army Off
GERS toward the reserve officers, |
am not unmindful of the fact that
the organization of the regular
army itself at its reduced strength
is still unsettled and that many
difficult problems affecting its dis
tribution and shelter demand So
luton in the immediate future.
Congress has provided the en-
listed personnel for only small
regular army, but 1t has authorized
and wishes to encourage the en-
ployment of regular officers on ap-
nropriate duties with the national
guard, the organized reserves and
the reserve officers training corps.
1t must be accepted as the obvious
purpose of congress that these or
ficers who can be spared from the
regular army shall be employed IN
developing and perfecting the other
two components of the army of
the United States. Our affairs must
be so adjusted that considerable
portion of the officers of the regu-
lar army will be available for duty
with the citizen armies under the
several corps area commanders to
assist in the administration, train
ing and development of the larger
elements of the army Of the United
States.
Mission Is Important.
"It is my view that the mission
assigned to the officers of the reg
ular army to create an efficient
peace army is most important.
Under the law they become not
merely officers of the regular
army, responsible for its high
Atandards, but they become the
permanent or professional part of
the larger officer corps of the army
of the United States. In view of
the broadened relations of this new
army to our national life. our Of
ficers should realize the new op-
portunities that thus come to them
for public service. Any lingering