Evening star., 1923-11-18
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
ARMY.
BY Nj. H. MCINTYRE

As the convening of the next Con-
gress nears there is much speculation
in military and naval circles as to who
will compose the military affairs COM
,mittee. the naval affairs committee, the
committee on appropriations and the
powerful committee on rules. A NUMBER
OF conferences have been held the past
| three weeks by republican leaders and IT
Is stated that Speaker GiIlett will have
practically no opposition in the repub-
lican caucus.
Those who are opposed to Nicholas
| liongworth of Ohio for republican lead
or are favorable toward the selection
or Col. John Q. Tilson of Connecticut;
who Is not only a former national
guardsman and sound on national de-
fense measures, but former member
of the military affairs committee.
| The radical group OF the House orlgi-
I nally started out to select Speaker
and leader. but at the present time 1t
ognition in the selection of members for
the important committees. With such
situation existing on the republican
side OF the House 1t cannot be stated
vacancies on the War and Navy De-
partment subcommittee of the appro-
pr1ations committee.
Representative Anthony of Kansas
will continue as chairman Of the War
department subcommittee of the COM
mittee on appropriations. Two vacancies
exist on this committee which will not
be filled until the republican leader of
the House is elected. On the republican
side of the appropriations committee
there are eleven vacancies.
| Both Chairman Kahn of the House
committee on military affairs and
Chairman Butler of the House commit
tee on naval affairs have been in poor
health during the past year, but it is
| stated that they both will be back in
Washington very much improved in
health, due to their long period of rest.
| Vacancies exist. however on both of
these committees. With respect to the
military committee, former Represent
ative Greene of Vermont has been ele-
waited to the Senate. and it is believed
that he will be selected to sit as a
member of the military committee of
the higher body. Representatives Par
ker of New Jersey. Crago of Pennsyl-
yania. Fields Of Kentucky and Stoll OF
South Carolina will not be members Of
( Percy Quin of Mississippi will become
the ranking member on the democratic
| side OF the House of the military affairs
committee.
| Seven members will be lost by the
| naval affairs committee. They are
| Representatives Hicks of New York
| Riordan OF New York, Kline of New
York, MCPHERSON of Missouri. Nc
Arthur OF oregon. Codd of Michigan
and Kraus of Indiana.
Senator Wadsworth of New York
! will. of course, continue as chairman
| or the Senate committee on military
affairs and Senator Hale of Maine has
been selected as chairman of the
committee on naval affairs. AS chair
man OF the naval affairs committee
! in the Senate. Senator Hale occupies
! the same post as his distinguished
! father. who did a great deal of pioneer
| ing work in building up the Navy.
| In January the annual physical ex-
animation of all commissioned and
warrant % officers OF dh the Army will be
annual examinations. The boards
| conducting these physical tests are
| given a wide scope in their examina-
| ton, as is prescribed in part of para
graph of the above mentioned regu-
lations.
! Instructions will soon be mailed
out by the War Department to all
| corps area and post commanders for
the next examination of candidates
| for commissions in the Regular Army.
| which will be given during the week
! beginning April IA. 1924. On the
graduation of the 1924 class at West
| Point. il is estimated that there will
| be approximately 100 vacancies to be
| filled in the regular establishment
There are at the present time 379
| vacancies in the Regular Army.
The 1924 West Point class which will
4 b
cadets. but taking into consideration
retirements and designations, it is
estimated that by next June there
| Will be at least a hundred in excess
of the latter figure. Examinations
! will be held at various Army stations
in the United States. in Hawaii, with
! the American forces in China, the
Philippine Islands and the Panama
| Canal Zone.
| The examination will be governed
dat
+; March 10, 1923. which virtually con-
fine those eligible to take the exam
, ination 10 the three components of
+: the Army of the United States.
! Those officers who resigned during
! the recent reduction of the Army will
! be given an opportunity to come
! back into the service as second lieu
! tenants. providing their records are
| satisfactory and that they can qualify
Z. both physically and professionally
| This is the only exception that is not
| prescribed in the regulations.
| A demand from Congress and the
bureau of the budget for economy
in the expenses of the Army air force
/ has led, 1t is stated. to a comprehen-
Sive study Of the personnel problem
Of the air service. which is now being
made in the War Department This
is being recognized as serious
problem both in and out of the service
| and it is possible that the matter will
reach the joint Army and Navy board
before final decision is made in fixing
the policy Of both the War and Navy
| departments.
| 1t is pointed out that the present
personnel organization of the air
are excessive in their cost and the
| charge has been made that their per-
/ sonnet expenses are greatly in excess
of that of any of the other great
powers. A study of the question has
! brought out the fact, it is stated. that
the United States is the only country
; in which all of the flyers are commits
stoned officers.
! In the French army the flying per-
! sonnel consists of 9S6 officers and
2.105 enlisted men, while the nom
Tying force totals. 247 officers and
9s4oS 3s rnnsas enlisted me men For administrao
! maintains force of 153 officers and
J 162 enlisted men.
Those supporting the proposal to
! follow the personnel organization of
| other air services contend that the
enlisted force of flyers could easily
be kept up. due to the opportunities
of learning to fly with a view to
! securing lucrative employment on the
| completion of their enlistment period
pointed out that withs such an ar
| rargement young men with COM
mon school education could. by serv-
ing one term of enlistment, in the
1 regular establishment, acquire the
professional knowledge of a flyer. 1t
! Is estimated that this method would
be the means Of creating a large re-
serve Of flyers at small cost to the
| government which would be avail
| able in the event of war.
| Legislation asking for an increase
in the strength of non-commissioned
| officers for the Regular Army will
again be sent to Congress at the ap.
! preaching session. The purpose of
the bill will be to provide regular