Evening star., 1922-05-07
THE ARMY

ecTetary weeks, IN q recent near.
ling before the Senate subcommittee
ON the Army appropriation BILL stated
tha what the Army needs more than
hny other requirement Is stability. He
spoillted out that when Congress fixes
'thei number of officers and enlisted
ton and allotments of the authorized
Pers onnel. SO that the force as a
whd d!e-can train for and perform the
,dutA's. assigned it by law.
After such an adjustment has been
made the War Secretary stated tina.
any al bitrary further cut in strength
lis only an apparent economy. The
inr%s,diate saving in pay and rations.
he saVerred. Is largely offset by neces-
saryt reorganization and redistribu-
tion.i and that. real economy and eff
ciencty are further disturbed by neces-
sary shifts of personnel to new sta
tionstan nd new duties.
"TRist disadvantage" he says. "is
seriots; enough If the Regular Army
only Is TO be considered. but when we
bear In mind that the officers Of the
Army are, now charged with impor-
tant new duties in developing the
National Guard, the reserves and the
we bear in mind that many new ofii-
GERS ntdst themselves receive special
trair3inG for their manifold duties. the
seridusN consequences of frequent re-
organization must be apparent to any
man with business sense. Reductions
OF strength must involve readjust-
npent and redistribution with the un-
settled training and employment, un-
1ess the Army Is to abandon some of
the activities. assigned it. by law. Off
GERS in the regular service enter it
with the purpose of continuing during
Every officer is now wondering what
his fate will be in the threatened re-
adjustment. He cannot do his best
work under such conditions. and If
this situation Is to. continue from year
to year it. must have a serious effect
system of national defense
Bill Overrules Department.
The proposal to restore DR.. ]. B. H.
Waring as an officer of the Medical
Corps and to Immediately transfer
him to the retired list with the rank
of major has been successful to the
extent that the House passed the bill
Is. 667). which had already passed the
Senate. authorizing the President, to
make the appointment. with the usual
senatorial confirmation. The - long
,pending effort Of DR.. Waring was
finally passed on the conclusion Of
members of the military committees
that the applicant was entitled to the
appointment ON the ground that an
injustice had BEEN done him while he
was a captain In the Army Medical
Corps .up to May 3. 1877. when he was
wholly retired AFTER q period Of con-
troversy with higher officials Of his
corps. The bill has been vigorously
opposed by the surgeon general of the
Army and the War Department. The
congressional actieM ,s noteworthy
because of it's depa rtaEre from the pol
Icy Of not approving Individual legis-
lation of this chara ctar. to which also
the War Department, has heretofore
been uniformly opposAl.
Army Ration TAKES Drop.
Between 80 and s5 csnts will be the
value of the Army ratIaa .tor the next
fiscal year, as announceff by the War
Department. From the vpeak price of
5472 in August. 1921. Lfe ration has
decreased in price Badk. in 1914 1t
reached the low point of "a cents. in
creasing each year from & to 10 cents.
While the hope Is not h old out that
the cost per ration will, i1Never. reach
the 1914 basis. the reduct non in price
from the high figures In 1877 to the
present estimate will effect a. mate
rial saving to the goVernmen