Evening star., 1921-07-20
Mr.. WEEKS STATES
NEW army PLANS
Informs Gen. Pershing of In
tentions Under Act of
June q, 1920.

Secretary Weeks has informed Gen.
PeSshing, chief of staff, Of the course
to be followed by him and his asso-
ciates in the Army in the reorganiza-
tion of the military establishment in
conformity with the act of June 4,
1920. He says that act marks an
epoch in military legislation In that
it makes the Reserve Officers Training
Corps and the citizens training camps
for voluntary military training essential
parts of the military system.
An important feature OF this new
law" says the Secretary in hlS letter
to Gen. Pershing, lis that while con.
GresS prescribeS the general plan o!
the Army of thee United States, and
provides the personnel deemed neces-
sary for its formation. the details OF
military organization are left TO the
executive.
Citizen Soldiers.
IAN ex animation of the statute shows
that the new law is based on the idea
that III the future, as In the past.
great wars are to be fouSht IN the
main by armies composed of citizen
soldiers temporarily drawn into active
military service.
But whereas in the past the neces-
sary citizen forces have been COM
nletely cXtenporized or materially re-
organized upon the occurrence OF an
they shall b.. allocated territorialy, that
they shall he allocated territorily. that
their officers and men shall be as
signed to local units. and that as 1undS
become available provision shall be
made for the training or these ofncerS
and men
1T is with the requirements of this
larger war establishment in view
that the peace organization OF the
regular Army must be determined. IL
is the Presidents desire that the
Regular Army shall be so organized
10 the fullest extent. The Regular
Army should. therefore, be formed in
limited number of organizations,
each at effective military strength.
witt, The view of releasing the maxi
mum number Of selected officers and
enlisted men for service with these
other branches of the Army OF the
United States.
As the Regular Army now contains
more reg simerts and other units than
can be maintained at efectlVe
strength with the authorized enlisted
personnel. you are directed to retain
a suitable number of units at an en-
listed strength effective for immediate
military service and to place the
units thus rendered surplus out of
commission until such time as Con-
gress shall authorize an increase in
the enlisted strength of the regular
Army. You will assign to the organ1-
2ations retained in commission Suf-
ficient number of officers to make
them effective for immediate mill
tary service, leaving officers not re-
quired for service with regular or
EanizationS or otherwise to be en-
ployed. under your direction. in the
development of the National Guard.
the organized reserves and the Re
serve Officers Training Corps.
Economies Expected.
The organization of the Regular
Army into a limited number of effective
military units will not only release a
greater proportion of officers for duty
with other portions Of the Army of the
United States, but will facilitate great
economies in the maintenance OF the
peace establishment
"As interpret the intent OF Congress
in providing for the division of tha coun-
try into corps areas. their primary object
is to form decentralized organization
for the promotion and development of the
National Guard. the organized reserves
and the Reserve Officers Training Corps.
1t is my desire, therefore, that this func-
ton should be especially emphasized by
the War Department"