Evening star., 1922-03-12
THE ARMY :

Early consideration OF the new pay
bill by both houses Of Congress is an-
ticipated by the services. To Senator
Wadsworth and Representative Nc
Kenzie much credit is due for the
months Of study and painstaking ef-
fort which both expended in it's prep
aration. A composite view of the bill
from the standpoint of the officers
affected apparently indicates that on
the whole the bill is being favorably
received throughout the services by
those familiar with it's ultimate effect.
1t is well known that Mr.. Mckenzie
has given more than year of his
time in a most comprehensive study
OF the pay situation. not only In dis
secting the merit or demerit of for
mer systems, but particularly in an
ticipating the future requirements of
the services. the possibility of slow
promotion, variable cost of living and
the necessity of adequate allowance
for the officer whose family must be
of the bill will. it is believed, meet
the approval of Congress. One of the
strongest factors in it's favor is the
fact that all services concerned have
come to an agreement on the details.
For this reason the success Of the
bill calls for final and united support,
otherwise the only alternative is a
return to the former schedule of 1908.
Horsemen Protest Reduction.
Numerous protests from stock
growers opposing reduction in the
War Department. Among the tele-
grams received is one signed by forty
of the leading horsemen Of the coun-
try. addressed to the chief. remount
division, War Department. which
reads: mo business problem in farm
ing operations is more important than
the question of horse supply. Horses
are essential to economical farming,
and are vital to the business of the
ranehrhen: According to the investi-
ment of Agriculture, 70 per cent of
the power used in farm operations is
furnished by horses. In order to
make this power efficient 1t is neces-
States be brought to the highest pos
sible quality. The horse breeding
work begun by the bureau of animal
industry of the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture has been of in
calculable value to the horse breeding
the farms but on the range. The AS
sociation of American Horse Shows,
Inc, protests against any attempts to
curtail the appropriations for the re-
We especially protest against the pro-
posal to abandon the remount depot
at Front Royal, Va. the only remount
depot in the east or south" 7
Passing Notes.
There are now 252 blind service
men in vocational training under the
United States Veterans Bureau. They
are being trained in a variety of
trades and occupations. At the time
of the armstice there were approxi-
mately 200 blind ex-service men.
tally blind ex-service men-150 whose
eyeSight is SO affected as to be con-
sidered practically blind and 100 men
who are partially blind in both eyes
and who require special training.
Under the terms of the Pershing
bill. an officer with twenty-five years
service would be entitled to retire
with three-fourths pay. 1t is re-
ported that in event the bill is passed
there will be a number of applica-
tions for retirement from colonels and
lieutenant colonies with from twenty
to twenty-five years service.
Air Service.
The large armored attack triplane
which has excited SO much interest
and comment at Kelly Field has been
division at Mccook Field. is the
first of several of these planes to be
delivered for the use of the attack
group. 1t is especially designed and
constructed for the attacking of
ground troops. In addition to being
armed with machine guns, it carries
a small cannon.
A formation of seven DH-43 planes
Of the 22d Squadron. stationed at the
Montgomery air intermediate depot, re-
Gently flew to Birmingham, Ala, for the
purpose of assisting in the organization
OF the new National Guard Squadron
and in order to increase local interest
in aviation. Birmingham has completed
q sixty-acre flying field for the 135th
Aero Squadron. Alabama National Guard.
The new field is marked with q IT" )"
The 135th Squadron is in command of
Maj. James Meissner, formerly of
the Gath Aero Squadron and one Of
Americas foremost aces. There are
twenty-five other officers now in the
squadron, all of whom have been fly
ing officers in the air service of the
Army, Navy or Marine Corps. The
enlisted personnel is also well repre-
sented with mechanics who have had
experience at aviation repair depots
and air service mechanics schools.
One Of the JN-4-D training planes
at Mather Field. Calf, was turned
over to the aerial mail service for the
purpose Of making experimental
lights to test the converse stabilizer,
a small device, which its inventor.
who has been working on it for many
months claims will hold the ship
longitudinally balanced, regardless of