New-York tribune., 1922-02-04
Custer of 1000
Army Officers
Sought i'll Bill
Wadsworth Introduces Meas
ure Framed by Pcrshing
Reducing Active List
From 1000 TO $4,000
'Plucking'BoardProvidcd
Less Suitable Commanders
To Be Weeded Out During
a Five Month Period

From The Trbunes Washington Bnreuu
WASHINGTON, Feb. g. Senator
Wadsworth, Of New York, chairman Of
the Senate Military Affairs Committee,
to-day introduced in the Senate bill
for immediate reduction Of the officers
or the army to about 10000 officers
on the active list The bill was sub
mttcd to Senator Wadsworth by Cen
ernl Pershing, Chief Of Staff.
The national defensc act contains
provisions for aboot 1900 officers for
the military establishment. The War
Department, however, has not en-
ploycd the full number and now has
about 1900. What is proposed in the
bi'I is the retirement and discharge Of
about 900 officers, some Of whom are
not regarded rs effective. The bill
fixes a limit Of not over $4,000 Of
ficers for the fiscal year 1923.
Back OF the movement for the lcgis-
lation is an effort to meet tho demand
for economy. While the personnel Of
the officers corps will be smaller under
TINS pill, 1t is designed to have it more
effective.
One of the most important provisions
Of the bill calis for "plucking board"
OF i've general officers, to be selected
by the Secretary of War. This board
vii have five months to pick the Of
iiccrs to be weeded out, who arc to be
known as "supcrnumcrary officers"
The bill also provides for no promo
tion for Ave months below the grade
OF brigadier general. The numbers of
officers as fixed by the bill below
hr'gadler general for the present would
be: 49+ colonels, 555 lieutenant COL
onels. $50 majors, 3,700 captains, 5.735
lleutenants, first and second; ,O53 Of
ticers OF the Medical Corps, III officers
Of the Dental Corps, 144 officers Of
the Veterinary Corps, eighty-one Of
fccrs of the Medical Administrative
Corps and 1870 chaplane
Among the other requirements of the
bill is one which will prevent any sec
ond lieutenant being promoted to first
lieutenant until he has served three
years as second lieutenant. In case
at any time there are too few active
may be ordered to duty
General Pershing, in a letter sent
to Senator Wadsworth to-day, explains
the bill
After calling attention to the fact
that the national defense act provides
for $1,000 officers and that this num-
ber could be suitably employed, bu:
that there is need for the utmost econ
omy, he says the Secretary of War
mas retra1ned from making sufficient
appointments to Offset losses and has,
thereby. saved many millions to the
government"
General Pershing said it was pos
sible to suspend appointments but not
promotions, and hence the commits
stoned personnel is not we'll balanced.
Referring to the bill for readjustment
OF the commissioned personnel, he
says:
The reduction will be mad in the
various grades in such manner as to
produce suitable distribution
throughout. The method proposed con-
templates retirement and discharge Of
officers, some of whom will be those
least effective, who can we'll be spared.
and others who apply for retirement
or discharge. The bill provides COM
pensation to the officers wn, g. out
that is believed to be equitable"