The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-25
As 4, National Asset

There are in the United States approxi- mately 80,000 members of the Officers Re- serve Corps, all sworn to do their part in upholding the government and, if need be, rallying to its defense. Most of these men are veterans of the World War, whose pre- vious training makes them competent to com mand troops in time of war and drill others for similar duties. Primarily these men are civilians and are active in the professional and business life of the communities in which | they reside. They serve without pay, except when called for brief periods into active serv- ice, and form a bulwark of defense upon which the country may lean in times of un- usual stress.
 l Among the reserve officers are men who, l through their business or professional attain ments, are pacable of doing certain things not of strictly military character. but essen tial to the proper functioning of the army, q little better, perhaps than those whose | training has been limited strictly to the pro fession of arms. This class includes news papermen, who may be found serving as mil itary intelligence officers or staff specialists bankers who may be useful in directing the financial details of military affairs during an emergency accountants and others whose special qualifications are calculated to make | them of value to the military establish ment.
 ID, whatever branch of the service these officers may be assigned, whether the com batant or non-combatant branch, eaen man provides, at practically no cost to the gov | ernment, one extra officer for such service as may be required of him. With SO.O00 reserve officers available at all times for service, especially Tn view oi the fact that many of them already have nad considerable training in the science or war fare their value as an adjunct of the regular army. which is none too large and has been denleted by congressional enactments, IS clearly apparent.
 Being civilians and not subject to the re, strictions incident to purely governments i activities, these men are in position at ai timesto preach the need of proper prepareo' ness. They may make their influence Tel. also. on behalf of the upbuildlng or tue mn tary establishment and inurging a1gq"a.s Tg tt concentrations, in order to make possloie the nroner functioning of the military arm oi the government. ,.L ~
 There is still another service which re sa,,a officers may render and that IS to Hiu in counteracting the efforts of oDstructlohists and well meaning but misguided Pereons who laboring under the delusion tnaC war may be prevented by disarmlng, sees ste, so duce the armed forces of the Ohlteu a's o.atI. L. to such an extent that the country W'utU s ;u I-,,noble to defend itself in the event ol III ,-as;o, and become the prey of revolutlolis'' or ony strong nation that might attack "s
 No man who has realization or tne Iol .o.s of war--and especially no man who has trod the blood stained fields or hlahuele "I., witnessed vrHT @ the death and destruction wrought by poisonous gasses and missiles wants an an other war. There is none, however so "ei s qualified to understand the dangers or IS nt ture wars as the man who already mas oi fered his life in defense of his country A..
 These men realize that the pest . way s' ciss Itis for this that they have offeret their services once more to the government The The fere ere fact that they are serving without pay and sometimes at a great personal ant financial sacrifice should be the best proo that the Officers Reserve Corps IS an agency for the preservation of peace, the high pur NoSe of which is unassailable.-New Yorl Commercial.