Evening star., 1923-12-02

and Brig. Gen.
John B. Bellinger.
assistant quarter
master general.
Reports relat-
ing to the retire
NAL. GEN. sou1ER. Hart and Bellin-
ger could not be
verified at the office Of the Secretary
Of War, but 1t was admitted that
shortly after the first of the year.
Gen. Squier is nationally known as
a pioneer in the development OF
aerial communication, a number or
his inventions being responsible ror
the great progress which has been
made in radio communication. AS q
cadet I'm the Military Academy he
was experimenting with the wireless
telephone and as result or his tire
less efforts in communication sys-
TENS the American Army Signal
Corps has become model FOR the
armies of the world.
Gen. Sputer will make an applica-
tion for retirement, It is stated, as
soon as his successor is selected by
the Secretary Of War. In the event
of Gems. Hart and Bellinger retiring
from active service, II Is assumed
that Brig. Gen. Albert G. Dalton.
assistant quartermaster general. will
be appointed Quartermaster general
This will create two vacancies in
the Quartermaster Corps for the pro-
motion from the grade Of colonel.
Although broad enough in its scope
to restore majority of the non-com-
missioned officers to their former
grades from which they were denoted
last year, the present Indications are
that the bill under preparation Will
vary little from the form in which 1t
was presented to Congress last ses-
sion. At the present writing the leg
islative council of the War Depart
ment has not finally passed on the
bill. but IL is stated that some action
will be taken on IT in the near future.
A bill amending section 1877 Of the
national defense act, which author
ICES the retirement OF certain warrant
officers who were commissioned dur
the council. Non-commissioned off,
GERS at the present time who were on
the retired list at the beginning of
the war or held temporary commits
sions during the emergency. can be
retired as warrant officers. The
amendment will permit all non-com-
missioned officers who were commits
stoned during the war to retire as
warrant officers.
Under the provisions Of the field
clerk retirement bill, which has been
approved by the legislative council,
Army field clerks, whose status on
August %. 1916, was changed from
that of a civilian to a member of the
military establishment, will retire
with the same pay and allowances Of
warrant officers on their reaching
ical disabilities.
With respect to the Philippine
Scouts. another bill prescribes that
the enlisted personnel of the Scout
organizations be given the pay,
clothing and ration allowance as
that authorized for enlisted men of
the regular establishment 1t fur
ther authorizes the Secretary of War
to grant enlisted men of the Scouts
transportation upon their discharge.
Decided opposition developed this
week in the War Department over
the recommendation made by the
CHIEFS OF field artillery and air
Army be disturbed. Not only Chair
man Wadsworth of the Senate mill
tary committee, who made a thorough
study of the Shanks board report on
an attempt to alter the single list
would only result in increased dis
satisfaction throughout the service,
but other members of the committee.
it is known, are not in favor of any
single list legislation. Though the
subject was discussed Informally in
the War Department legislative
council. little encouragement was
given the subject and no action was
taken in the matter by the members
of the council.
A canvass of the general staff in
dicates considerable opposition to
any. single list legislation. Not only
chief of staff, opposed to such legisla-
tion at this time, but Brig. Gen.
Charles H Martin, assistant Chief Of
staff. G-1. formerly a Shanks board
member and now directing the ac--
the general staff. has declared him
self in strong terms against the sin
gle list. On commenting upon the
single list. Gen. Martin said:
time as did with the shanks. board
studying the single list, will be op-
posed to legislation Of a patchwork
character. II the single lis: is to
be disturbed. a board Of general
1evieon 1fsTs soeutf o9 the % entire aR list " That
would be virtually fixing promotion
by selection and the Army would
never indorse that
''As set forth in the Shanks board
report, there are many inoustlces anu
many inequalities in the promotion
list However, every scheme that We
discuss for the relief Of the classes of
officers who have been Disseminated
against, when worked out to the
logical conclusion. creates other OBJ
gotten now just how many classes
of officers have a real grievance
against the single list. l am sure
that the field artillery and air service
are not alone .in,. In TINS m tho respect
aThe report Of the chief Of field ar
tflIery recalls to me an instance that
occurred during the consideration of
what now Is the original national de-
fense act. You will recall that there
was the Chamberlain bill and the
Hay bill. The Hay bill provided for
only an increase in the field artil-
lery. It was sent to Congress hrst
from the War Department.
Later the Chamberlain bill was
introduced in the Senate by Senator
Chamberlain. 1t was based on a
study Of the War College and con-
tanned not only a larger increase for
the field artillery, but increases for
the other arms. 1t was built on
broader lines and was the founda-
ton for the present amended national
defense act The field artillery Jared
better through the general staff bill
than the patchwork legislation as
proposed in the Hay bill.
"I was struck very favorably by
the declaration in the chief OF Held
artillery'S report TO the erect lnat
the field artillery is a great service.
/ think that the Army realizes that.
Any one who does not think that the
arm or corps with which he is serv-
ing IA q great service should get out
Of it. But the feld artillery should
very patiently bear the burden that
ali OF us are carrying in building up
the Army Of the United States under
the new military policy. The Same is
40 with tho air service. When the
country really returns to normalcy
things will right themselves IN the
field artillery and air service. just
the same as they will throughout the
Army.
II doubt seriously the wisdom of