Evening star., 1924-09-14

(who are now outnumbering
the Smiths, Browns and
~ Clarks in helping Uncle
Sam to run the Government)
has a job that for variety of exac-
tions and Importance has few equals
the world over.
Incidentally he is probably the
youngest major general ever COM
missioned, the youngest adjutant
general the military service ever had
and the first under a reorganization
based on the A. e. +. Organization
overseas, in which he held the iden-
tical position in France that he now
holds in Washington, and which re-
organization he himself worked out.
This vigorous, good-looking. nattily
uniformed, quare-shouldered, deep
chested, courteous. cordial, quick
motioned and rapid-fire thinker is
Maj. Gen. Robert C. Davis, a native
of Pennsylvania, but who is known
by his we-ks all over the country.
X X
Here are flash-light glimpses at a
few of the things he does-and with
amazing success: Runs a music
oath of office of Gen. George Wash
ington and all the war records. In
cluding those of the Revolution; keeps
the records Of 100000 persons con-
nected with the draft, runs Army
military prisons, in charge OF 65 re-
cruiting stations. runs some 20,000
motion picture shows year DONG
$4,000 business a month. looks after
the welfare of the 10000 men in the
Army, assigns $4,000 Army officers to
their duties and 10000 reserve officers,
runs stationary libraries at all Army
posts and hundreds of travelling
libraries, is commissioner of United
States Soldiers Home, directs host
ess service providing helpful enter
tainment for enlisted men. superVises
reserve officers training units at 225
educational institutions with an en-
rollment of 115;0o0, conducts corre-
spondence courses for nearly 10000
enlisted men, and is the big boss
to some 5000 clerks here in WASH
ington.
In this hit and miss summary we
have neglected what is now the Dig
gest offshoot of Gen. Davis job
Notwithstanding his correspondence
Jumped from 100000 communications
a year to handling some 100000
communications a year and increased
the number Of clerks under him from
500 to 5000. This is the special work
connected with the computation OF
the bonus" or adjusted compensa-
tion, due to the American soldiers in
handled under the adjutant general.
This is a work for which Adjt Gen.
Davis was specially fitted. He was
called to Washington in February,
1922, to prepare plans for carrying
out the War Departments part in
approving the service records of
bonus applicants. In April he became
the acting adjutant general, and in
September the adjutant general. Hav-
ing served in France as adjutant
general of the American expedition
ary forces, a capacity in which he
conceived and created the central
war records Office of the American
land forces in France, which proved
to be an agency unequaled in the
allied forces, with 1000 clerks, he had
d back kground of experience and OBJ
servation which enabled him to visu-
ahze more clearly. perhaps. than any
one else the work behind giving
every service man a square deal and
an honest adjusted compensation
credit.
He has since been building up the |
organization that is now carrying out |
the act of Congress with exact fair |
ness to more than 100000 ex-service |
men, calling to his aid officers who |
during the war had the most intimate |
and comprehensive knowledge of the |
records.
This tremendously big special job. |
so intimately affecting practically |
every home in the country, must be |
done with extreme care, within a GER
tain time, and with a force Of tempo |
rary clerks who by the very fact of
temporary employment are not espe- |
cially proficient and reliable.
The Adjutant Generals Office has
custody of the records of $4,000, 900
persons connected with the draft, and |
handles all cases like naturalization, |
cases in the courts, etc, which neces- |
state consultation of the depart
ment's records.
In the old records division the adju. |
tant general has old records of the |
Army from the Revolutionary War, |
the War of 1912, the Mexican and In |
dian Wars and the War with Spain. !
Although these records date so far |
back, this is still very active divi- |
sion. because it is constantly con-