Evening star., 1922-02-12
THE ARMY

the lZ,OVO marx. was the opinion eX-
pressed last week by several mem
bers of the congressional committees
on military affairs. The recent state
ment by a western senator that a re-
duction Of the Army to $500 officers
and 100000 men will effect saving
Of $100,000,0 900 a year Is being checked
as to its correctness by members of
the committees. Questioned as to the
senator's statement, doubt was ex-
pressed by members of the commit
tee as to whether a radical cut OF
that magnitude would not in the end
prove most costly, particularly at this
time, when officers and men of the
regular establishment are charged
training of the other two components
Of the Army of the United States-the
National Guard and Organised Re-
serves. It Is also pointed out that to
effect so radical a cut would mean the
deterioration of camps, suppiIes.
schools Of Instructions and many
other functions with which the Army
Is held accountable
Problem Of Omcer Personnel.
Unfortunately the rapid promotion
Of officers which has stripped the
a detrimental effect along angles not
anticipated. Had promotions been
temporarily postponed until feas-
ible plan had been worked out. the
present difficulties might have been
. of a minor nature. Facing the situa-
ton as it now exists. with the fact
that an Army must have a sufficient
number of junior officers, and not too
top-heavy in the higher ranks. friends
of the Army in and out of Congress
are at loss to explain the present
predicament, or to suggest the rem
edy. There appears no precedent TO
follow which only tends to make the
problem more acute. In the face ~
q national plea for economy. each
promotion increased the total cost OF
the commissioned personnel. without
providing for the additional pay OF
necessary lieuter ants with which the
Army Is now without. 1t is hoped by
friends of the service that an eQult-
able plan to correct the present un-
fortunate situation will soon be ef-
fected.
An Emcient II. o. r. G. Unit.
It is refreshing to read a recent re-
| from the University of Illinois, relative
to the military instruction given its
students since 1862. Today that univer-
sity claims the largest unit OF the r ..
T. c. in the country. With twenty om-
GERS Of the Regular Army on duty as
instructors in the various branches, the
student body has formed brigade
headquarters. comprising one regiment
Of cavalry. two infantry regiments, an
artillery regiment, engineer and signai
corps battalion, two sQuadrons (ooser.
vation) air service and a military band
Of 100 students; a total Of 2.425 students
taking the two-year course Every male
student must enroll in the military
Classes. for which financial aid is gwen
| the university by act of Congress. Back
in 1871 during the Chicago hre. r;., the mil
itary training corps Of the university
was called by the state and did military
service in the city for long period IN
connection with the federal and STATE
troops. The report states that the uni
yersity has the largest armory in the
country devoted to reserve officers train
ing camp work and that its r. o. T. Z.
members are always ready to answer
any emergency calls that the state may
make, either in units or as brigade
Retired Pay Status Unchanged.
Saving retired officers who have been
promoted from q reduction In their
pay is about all that can be expected
chance that retired pay shall con-
sist of three-fourths Of all allowances
as well as three-fourths base pay.
Such proposal, regardless Of its
merit, has not been considered even
as a tentative provision by the joint
congressional committee now con-
sidering service compensation. Any
additions to the pay project submitted
by service representatives such as an
increase in allowances for retired
officers might only disturb their
present status of pay, by repeating
the existing law authorizing advance
inent of such officers assigned to ac-
tive duty. The only favorable outlook
for certain retired officers. according
to the opinion of Representative Nc
schedule may effect slight increase
Future OF Army Horses.
When it is realized that the peace
mules in our Army are almost in
significant, it can be seen that in
emergency the Army must depend on
the commercial supply of the country
for the hundreds of thousands Of
animals that will be needed. For this
aver that a close relation must exist
between Army remount and CONNER
cfal breeding activities. The most
Encouraging point in that connection,
officers claim. is the fact that the best
of the commercial types Of animals
are Identical with the types desired for
military work. The joint aim Is the
production of more and better ami
mails and the elimination OF worthless
scrubs, 50 as to provide in emergency
sufficient animals for both the Army
and commercial pursuits. Remount
officers of the Army state that an
erroneous idea appears to exist in
some quarters that the American Re-
mount Association, which, through
the generosity Of several of its MEM
bers, has been able to donate to the
government q number Of valuable
stations, Is. in connection with the
remount service, attempting to in
duce farmers and breeders to substi-
those of the draft type. This, they
claim, "is decidedly not So: that
the main efforts Of the joint serv-
ices have been expended in the en-
of the breeding of suit
able riding horses, the production of
which type is not sufficient to meet
the requirements In case of an emer-
|gency. This fact, they contend, was
forcibly brought out in the late war.
when the government purchasing
|ofiicers Of the various nations found
1t impossible to obtain good type rid
ing horses in large numbera
mann, pianist, and Mr.. Harry Edward
Mueller, organist. Miss Howison will
sing two solos and the other music
will be as follows: Organ. ALLEGRO
"Caprice" (Matthews). prelude tc
F.Hns"1 Fiat" from st. AIMS" (Bach5: even
sDd sDds organ "Meditation' (Mietske); !;
I,Vr (Kjpdarl