Evening star., 1925-05-24
Army and Navy News
BIZ NJ. II. Mcintyre.

ponents, and as considerable part Of
| the regular establishment is devoted
| to the administration and instruction
Of the, two Junior components, under
the new military policy. reducing the
National Guard and the Orga nized
Reserves would materially lessen the
power of the Regular Army. Ap-
proximately 5000 regular officers are
engaged upon duty with the two
junior components of the Army of the
United States, and, as it Is pointed out
by officers on duty in the War De-
partment, the three components are
interdependent, and reducing one will
weaken the other two.
A comparison of last years ap-
preparations for supplies for the
regular establishment shows the
great necessity for an increase in
clothing funds In 1917 clothing ap-
preparations for the Regular Army
amounted to S20,00O,000, while for
1925 only S4 900 900 was carried in the
appropriations for this same item.
| The time is rapidly approaching, how
ever, when the reserve supply OF cloth
| ing will be entirely exhausted, If it has
not already reached this stage, and
the same is applicable to other sup
plies used by the military establish
ment.
The War Department has been very
liberal to the National Guard and the
Organized Reserves in issuing these
two junior components supplies from
the reserve stores. More than million
dollars worth of supplies We're issued
to the citizens military training camps
alone last Summer. which was ex-
elusive of their appropriation: and
with respect to the National Guard,
| this free issue of World War supplies
amounted to sS,O00,000 or $4,000, 900.
! The World War reserve stocks are
now in the exhaustive stage and II
the two junior components Of the
Army of the United States are to be
mainta ined at this years authorized
strength there must be an increase in
their appropriations.
Mai. Joseph o. Mauborgne, s. c..
who has just returned from a trip to
Panama at the instance of the chief
signal officer for the purpose of con-
Quoting demonstrations and tests of
/ the improved SCR 77-B radio receiver
and transmitter. reports that this in
strument operating in jungle country
during the dry season could attain
reliable range of miles even when
locations of stations were unfavorably
selected.
The tests developed that by substi-
tuting for the VII tube, standard
with the set, 201-A tubes. and by the
use of a light, simple and portable
antenna and condenser as a substi
tute for the loop, standard with the
set, much greater range could be
attained under the same conditions
as specified in the preceding para
graph-that is, a range of 122 miles
was reached. at which signal strength
was two-tifths maximum, strong and
clear.
Tests have been conducted toward
the perfection of remote control in
stallations from France Field to Colon
and adjustment of the naval tube
transmitter at the latter place for use
of the air force. These tests, which
are being carried on by subcom-
mittee of the joint planning commit
tee in the Panama Canal department,
have resulted thus far in marked
progress toward obtaining satisfactory
results. The last tests have been the
best and indicate that satisfactory
two-way communication with air
planes operating from France Field
at a range of 100 miles can be attain
ed under favorable conditions but
final report will be deferred until GER
tain, defects in installation are ad-
justed.
OF great interest to hundreds in the
service is the recent decision rendered
by the comptroller general of the
United States, in which he held that
where a man was given a specialist
rating after June 80. 1922, or given
different specialist rating after that
date, specialist pay was excluded in
determining his saved pay as it was
not comparable with an identical item,
and in all such cases he was entitled
to the specialist pay fixed by the act
of June 10, 1922. The claimant in this
case was entitled to pay rates which
were in effect prior to July I, 1922:
who was rated specialist, fifth
class. June 16, 1923, and who was paid
at the rate of SS per month as pro-
vided in the act of June 4, 1920. The
case was brought as to whether or
not the claimant should be charged
with the difference between that rate
and the rate of Sc per month which
was established for fifth class spe-
cialists by the act of June 10, 1922.
In previous decision on this ques-
ton, the Comptroller held that the
increased or decreased pay resulting
from the rating or -disrating of an
enlisted man of the sixth and seventh
grades as a specialist should not be
included in the computation in de-
termining the total of his pay and al
lowances under present and prior laws
where no specialist rating of any class
was held prior to such rating or where
none of any class is held after such
disrating."
In concluding his decision, the
comptroller said:
IF the man was a firSt-class Spe-
cialist on June 80, 1922, and continued
to hold such rating subsequent to that
date, obviously the specialist pay
should be included. Where. however,
the man was given specialist rating
after June 80, 1922, or given diff
ferent specialist rating after that date,
specialist pay was excluded in de-
termining his saved pay as it was not
comparable with an identical item and
in all such cases he was entitled to
the specialist pay fixed by the act of
June 10. 1922. The decision of October
10, 1922. can have no other Gaming
and the accounts of enlisted men
should be adjusted in accordance
Herewith, and this whether it results
in the payment of additional amounts
or the stoppage of overpayments.
The basis of payment having been
fixed in decision of October 1S, 1922.
effective July l. 1922. the latter date
must be the effective date of the ad-
justment."
Though il has not been definitely
decided, it is pointed out that it Is
possible that the suggestion contained
in the above paragraph for the check
ing over of the accounts of the enlisted
men coming under this decision will
be executed by the General Accounting
Office. This will entail a tremendous
amount of detail work. as the accounts
will amount into the hundreds.
Col. John Fl. Hughes. Infantry, ex-
ecutive officer, Office of the Chief of
Infantry. it was announced this week