New-York tribune., 1921-03-09
w Weeks to Form
One Big Army;
Calls Veterans
New Secretary of War Asks
Discharged Men to Get
Back i'm Harness Through
Guard or Reserve Corps
To Make Promotions
Expects to Recommend List
of General Officers for
Higher Rank This Week
From TAs Tribxme's wesh;noto~ Bursa.

r rom Re 1ra0une'S WoSSsn6toN bureQu
WASHINGTON, March 8.-John W.
Weeks, Secretary Of War, in his first
Official communication issued since as
suming Office. to-day called upon dis
charged soldiers from the American
army to enlist 'in the National Guard
or the organized reserves.
Secretary Weeks said that the War
Department contemplated the organiza-
tion of the military forces of the ma
tion into one harmonious, we'll balanced
and effective army, consisting of the
regular army, the National Guard and
the organized reserves.
"The regular army and the National
Guard" he said, will be developed to
the strength authorized by law and the
organized reserves will be organized as
divisions and auxiliary troops, with
complete officer personnel and suf-
fcient enlisted personnel to be capable
of rapid assimilation of the members
required to form full-strength units.
Every trained soldier discharged
from the regular army has q potential
value to the nation, and if this training
is maintained and prolonged in the
National Guard or in the organized re-
serves it will continue as an active
asset to the army of the United States.
I'm order that discharged enlisted
men who do not desire to reenlist in the
regular army may continue to serve in
the army of the United States, if they
SO desire, all such soldiers hereafter
honorably discharged will be impressed
with the Importance of the obligation
they owe to their country"
To Promote Officers
Secretary Weeks expects to recon-
mend to President Harding before the
end of the week a list of general Of
ficers of the army for promotion to tie
rank of major general and brigadier
general. The President in turn is ex-
pected to lose no time in sending the
nominations to the Senate for con-
lrmaticn.
The list Of general officers who failed
Of confirmation during the last days Of
.he Sixty sixth Congress will not be
returned to the Senate unless Secre-
tary Weeks decides that their records
make them worthy of the advanced
grade sought for them by the outgoing
administration The War Secretary
has been devoting every available min
"le 10 q STUDY OF Ine RECORDS OF the
officers. with view to including in the
list only those whose promotion IS
deemed justified by him.
1t is confidently expected that the
list will include the name of Brigadier
General Clarence r. Edwards. cont
mander of the 26th New England) Ma
rional Guard Division in the war, who
was not included among the officers
whose promotion was sought by for
mer Secretary of War Baker.
Secretary Weeks said to-day that he
was making steady progress in acquir-
ing detailed knowledge of the army as
it is now constituted. with view to
putting into effect some of the policies
which he hopes will work for improve
ment in the military service He has
had several conferences with Chief of
Staff March and with bureau chiefs and
officers OF the General Staff. from
whom he is getting minute details OF
the army over which he is the direct
ing head.
No consideration has thus far been
given by the War Secretary to the ap-
pointment of permanent chief of staff
to replace General March, who is being
retained temporarily. Neither has op-'
portunity been available for the War
Secretary to make a definite decision