Evening star., 1924-09-14

ARMY.
Detailed plans are being made for
the annual meeting of the Army
ordnance Association, which will be
held at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
Md, October 5. AS the accommeda
tions at Aberdeen are limited, it has
been found necessary to restrict the
OF the following societies: The Amer
loan Institute Of Chemical Engineers,
the National Defense Section of the
American Society of Mechanical Engi-
neefs, the Institute of Makers of Ex-
ploSnves. the Army Ordnance Associa-
tion and local sections of the Ameri-
q2h Chemical Society.
Features demonstrating our state
or pafedn eSs in modern armament
viii be on the program. A business
meeting will be held, during which
reports Of the association will be
read. Upon the disposal of this busi-
ness. the election of officers for the
ensuing year will be held, after which
supper will be served. After this
there will be demonstration of night
firings, which will conclude the pro-
gram of the 1924 meeting.
Col. Jefferson Randolph Kean, U.
5. A, retired. who was elected editor
of the Military Surgeon, and secretary
treasurer of the Association of Mill
tary Surgeons of the United States
at the 1923 annual meeting of the
association. which was held last Octo-
her at Carlisle Barracks. Pa, will
assume his new duties as editor-in-
chief with the October issue. He will
take the place Of Maj. Edgar Erskihe
Hume, M. c.. who, in addition to his
other duties in the surgeon generals
once, has had charge of the publiea-
tion. The latter will remain on duty
in Washington.
War Department authorities are In
olsasreement as to fixing the regi-
ment as the smallest unit for an Army
post. A number of the officers who
nave been assigned to study this sub
1ect favor a battalion post pointing
out that the battalion is the fighting
unit, and should be stationed at one
post. The regiment and larger units
being administrative organizations,
their efficiency is not impaired if sta
TONED at different posts. If the bat
talions of regiment are stationed so
that they can be mobilized by a march
or reasonable length, regiment
can be maintained without interfering G
with It's efficiency. The same argu-
ment Is advanced for a brigade and
division. In addition to this. the in
camps,
1t is insisted by War Department Off
GERS, will call for a general distribu-
tion of the regular establishment in
smaller units.
Though the garrison at Fort
Screven, Ga, has been practically
abandoned by Coast Artillery troops.
decision has not yet been made as to
the disposal of the 12-inch guns and
12-inch mortars with which this post
Is equipped. A caretaking detach-
ment of the 121st Company, Coast Ar
tillery, has been taking care of this
armament for some time. No doubt
this heavy armament will be rentored
and placed in reserve. while the rest
of the equipment not considered valu-
able will probably be scrapped. Though
most of the Coast Artillery troops
have been withdrawn. its Infantry
post status is not affected, there being
three companies of the Sth Infantry
stationed there.
One hundred and sixty-one Infantry
officers. one Cavalry officer, one officer
from the Chilean army and two Gu
ban army officers. or a total of 1e5
student officers. will take the 1924
1925 company officers course. which
instruction will be given at. the In
fantry school, Fort Benning. Georgia
Actual instruction will begin October
1 and conclude June /, 1926. The in
struction includes tactics and tech
nique of all Infantry units to include
the company, with brief course on
the battalion and regiment.
Since the World War demonstrated
that the aluminium tag was not en-
tirely suitable for the purpose for
which it was adopted, the quarter
master general has been conducting
experiments to obtain tag which
would meet all requirements. AS the
result of these experiments, moneI
metal was prescribed by the War De-
partment as the material from which
tags thereafter would be made in
connection with future purchases of
the article. This metal is non-cor-
robbie under any of the conditions TO
which identification tags are sub
jected. There remains to Ne worNad
out the shape and methods of dttarn-
ment to the body of the wearar The
tests that have been and are being
made are merely to determine The
best shape and best method of wear
ing the tag.
thorough test was given the Navy
system of etching the tag, but after
being carefully considered by the War
Department was not adopted, as be-
ing lOO CoIupllCdteO, requiring 100
much time and elaborate supplies.
The Army has adopted the stamping
method, which system is simple and
requires no special training on the
part of those doing the work.
The development of a chain suitable
in all respects for attaching the tags
has been exceedingly difficult, nut
this question has been and is now
being worked on, and it is expected
that within a short time a standard
type will be selected. No identitica-
tion tags have been purchas,I since
1918, and future purchases will DE
made only of improved types.
Lieut.. Barney Meeden, Q. NJ c., on
duty at Camp Normoyle, Tex, has
been awarded the Japanese Red Cross
service medal for his services while
a member of the Japanese relief ex-
pedition. Lieut. Meeden was the con-
struction quartermaster of the relief
expedition which went from the Phil
ippine Islands to Yokohoma, Japan;
when the first shocks occurred that
caused such disaster in Japan. While
the medal is not q military decora-
ton, 1T is similar to the Carnegie