Evening star., 1922-04-30
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
f ny NAL ARTHUR g DUNCAN, U. 4. n.
the eolors only in the event Of . ma.
tional emergency. s'ss
THUR g. DUNCAN, U. o, n.

tional emergency. 'e :
At recent hearing Of the Senate
committee on the Army appropriation
bill Brig. Gen. William. Lassiter. ~.
sistant chief of stan, made. clear the
purpose OF and necessity for ma
by law, he pointed out that the com.
missioned and enlisted personnel Of
reserve units and other unassigned
reserve officers will be trained for
fifteen days each year In such num-
bers as the sum appropriated for .tf,e
which has been set in the procure
ment Of reserve officers 10 f00. 1000. The
strength on March 1, 1922, was 64,65Q.
Gen. LRssiter stated that. there has
been no training OF the reserves that
Is In any way comparable to the mis-.
sion Of this force. since the dsmobili-
sation Of the Wartime army. The
reserve ofIicers and reserve enlisted
men are made to feel that Congress
really intended that this civilian com.
ponent OF our idtary structure shall
be- in fact. . dependable force in time
Of emergency the whole plan for or
sonable scale will fail.
This next year IL q critical year IN
the opinion OF Gen. 1assiters for. as
he AYERS. "some training for the per-
sonnet ana aofne concrete evidence
Of the realization Of the Importance
tional defense Is essential. The House
bill contains 4250.o00 for pay, OF re.
serve ehfcers and 500 for the pay OF
reserve enlisted men. These sums are
entirely too>,small, IL we are to keep
alive reserve system and thus avoid
the waste and ineffectiveness IN;
herent In the policy Of waiting until
war comes to improvise an army" !,
Novel Amnuaitisn for TraininE.
Practice ammunition to simulate
the action of all kinds Of grenades.
air-plane drop bomb. and small CALI
Der artillery shell, which will effect
a big saving In time OF peace. 10 be.
ing produced by the ordnance depart-
ment. The imitation ammunition
Indicate its dummy character Is
used like the real ammunition, even
the explosion being simulated. When
thrown In the usual way. q grenade,
for example, instead Of bursting into
flying fragments, explodes with Z
modified pop and displays .. cloud Of
may be used as often 40 required.
Unlike charge Of INT. the shells
are loaded with sawdust, powdered
chalk or pumice stone. In time. of
war a considerable saving would also
be effected. by their use in training
In this practice by troops preparing
for front-line experience.
Need Of Pernansnt Quarters.
There are few temporary structures
at Army camps which are habitable
for troops. Those at Camp DIX. for
example, are deteriorating at such Z
rate that, the occupants are obliged
to seek various makeshift devices
to keep protected from the weather.
Other than requesting an inventory
Of real estate holdings and discussing
the advisability Of their disposition,
Congress has. adopted no .policys Of
new construction nor appropriated
sufficient funds for necessary repairs,
placement with be most costly.
There are few places whore troops
can be congre6ated in large numbers
which prevents concentration and
lessons the means Of economy. BY not
having sufncient quarters the pPes-
applied TO permanent buildings would
in few years pay for their entire
cost and upkeep.
Ceat1Alise Purchase sf Supplies.
; Under the general supervision. Of
Gen. G. r. Kreuthon. chief o1 the ssip-
ply service 'ssof the ousrtermasteE
Corps. Z special ouaetermaster board
for the ceiitralised procurement of
supplies has been approved by Gen
H. L. Rogers, Quartermaster gen
eral. Whom the new board 10 in
operation. commencing July 1. it is
intended to open bids in Washington
for nearly all Army supplies required
under the regular schedules. BY this
means IL. will be possible to better
control bidding, with probable reduc-
tion IN contract prices. The new
method 10 one OF the most economical
and important steps thAt have been