Evening star., 1924-12-07

afy forces. and for his services in
that capacity was awarded the Dis
tinguished Service medal He has re-
Gently returned to the United States
from a tour of duty in the Canal
Zone.
The unsatisfactory housing condi-
tion of the regular establishment is
clearly demonstrated by Secretary
Weeks in his announcement tina,
10000 members of the Army are now
under unsuitable shelter, part of
which have been under canvas Sum-
meU and Winter for many years. To
emphasize his point the Secretary
points out the following sites at
which shelter for troops, animals and
equipment are inadequate to meet the
present requirements: Third Corps
Area. 4th Corps Area, 5th Corps Area,
Fort Sam Houston, Tex; Sth Corps
Area, Boiling Field, Hawaii, Fort
Benning.
The cuartel or quadrangular sys-
tenn of barrack construction has been
decided upon by the War Department.
as It has been estimated that this
form of construction will cost $3.50
per man per year less than detach-
ed troop, battery and company bar
racks heretofore constructed at mill
tary posts. A careful study has been
made by the War Department on the
distribution of shelter so as to ar
rive at a working basis which will
retain as much of the existing prop
erty as is consistent with the mill
tary organization prescribed by the
act of 1920, and consistent with the
training duties of the regular estab-
lishment in connection with the Ma
tional Guard Organized Reserve and
training camp projects.
The only project involving per-
manent construction of any magni-
tude which was authorized during
the past fiscal year was the cOntinu
alton of construction work at Fort
Benning, Ga, at which place con-
tracts were let at the beginning of
the year for II additional sets of
officers quarters, and hospital group
consisting of a hospital building, with
a separate kitchen and mess and
boiler house. This project cost ap-
proximately 100000. There is also
available 1886, 600 for the beginning
of the construction of a cuartel bar
racks, which will house one regiment
of infantry. Other construction plans
are being held in allegiance pending
the presentation of the entire problem
to Congress, when it is hoped a per-
manent working basis will be decided
upon to insure needed construction
on a continuing program which Will
spread the expense over a consid-
erable period of time.
A list of standard professional
books. which includes dental. medical,
veterinary, laboratory, nursing and
surgical works, have been recon-
mended by the surgeon general Of
the Army as texts, which should be
on the shelves of every Army hospi-
tai library, and in line with this poll
Icy instructions have been issued to
the commanding officers of the vari-
Gus hospitals to have an inventory
taken of their respective libraries. In
the event that any of these author
lied books are not included in these
libraries, acquisitions may be made
for same not later than April l, 1925.
In the future and when the various
Army hospital libraries have been
works will be forwarded to the
libraries without the formal filing of
a requisftion.
OF particular interest to a large
number of Army officers is the case
of Capt. Aubrey 1. Eagle. Air Service,
which has just been filed in the Court
of Claims. This claim is based on the
so-called saving clause of the act of
Congress approved September IA, 1922,
amending the act approved June so,
1922, providing for the reduction of
the commissioned personnel of the
Army.
Among other things, this legislation
provided for the discharge of officers
in higher grades and their recommis-
sion in the next lower grade. The
amendatory act, dated September IA,
1922, contained the following provi-
sion:
That the discharge and recommis-
sion of officers in the next lower
grade shall not operate to reduce the
pay or allowances which they are
now receiving or to deprive them of
credit for service now counted for
purposes of pay or retirement"
Capt. Eagle entered the regular es-
tablishment on October 13, 1917, was
commissioned captain, Air Service
on July 1, 1920, and on November IS,
1922, in accordance with the above
acts referred to, was discharged as
captain and recommissioned as a first
lieutenant. At this time Capt. Eagle
had over three but less than six
years service, and, pursuant to the
above-quoted provision, he was en-
titled to receive the pay of a captain
with more than three years service