Evening star., 1925-10-11

Officers on duty in the War Depart.
ment point out that these two changes
will come at a most unfortunate time,
as Congress will be in session and
both Gems. Nolan and Drum will be
busily engaged in the preparation OF
reports for Congress. The Secretary
of War has made 1t known that Gen.
Nolan could be kept on duty in the
department until Congress adjourned,
but the general is insisting, it Is
stated. that he be relieved In ac-
cordance with law. Though Gen.
Drum has served in many climes
throughout his long military career
this Is his first tour Of duty in Wash
ington. and his relief in the Spring
will terminate two years OF general
>staff duty In the Capital. Gen. Drum
holds to the same opinion as tnat
voiced by Gen. Nolan with respect TO
their reliefs in the Spring, and 1t Is
expected that both officers will insist
that they be relieved in strict con-
formity with the Manchu law.
With MAI. Gen. Douglas Macarthur,
L. S. A., as it's head, the class
3 board consisting of Brig. Gems.
Robert E. Callan. La Roy 5. Upton,
Edg2- T. Collins, Malvern-Hill Barnum
and Maj Hugh L. Walthall. recorder,
is in session in Washington. Ihe
duty Of this board is to Scrutinlze care
fully the records and efficiency reports
of all officers below the average and
to determine whether or not they
should be recommended for class B
In reality the board conducts execu-
tive sessions and the proceedings are
strictly confidential.
After the board completes its be
Vow average" list of officers. 1t Is
submitted to the adjutant genera! or
the Army. The next step in this elm.
ination process is the appointment OF
boards OF inquiry in the different
corps areas, whose duty 1t Is to deter
mine whether this list recommended
by the original Glass B board should
be approved. Before these boards or
inquiry, officers who have been pro-
visionally placed In Class B will be
given an opportunity to appear, and
their superior officers, who have reno
cred adverse reports on them, VIII De
called as witnesses. The superior OF
ficers will be required to verify their
reports and those officers who have
been placed Professionally in class Is
will be permitted to reply.
In the final step Of this process, the
,names Of those officers who have been
actually placed in class B will again
be considered by the class e board
sitting In Washington. This board
will determine whether the deflclen-
cies Of the class B officers are due to
misconduct. neglect. or avoidable han-
it's, and In the event that the boards
finding Is in the affirmative. the off1-
Ger concerned will be discharged from
the Army. II in the negative. he will
be retired. Only In exceptional cases
are these officers actually dismissed
from the service. as 1t Is policy OF
the War Department to permit them
to resign.
The annual Halloween party for
officers and employees OF the Quar-
termaster Corps, together with their
friends and guests, will be held at
2400 Sixteenth street. A program Is
being arranged which includes dane
ing. novelty features. costume con-
tests and other attractions.
Replies from II States received by
the Militia Bureau on the question
naire sent out to the adJutants gen.
eral OF the several States on the
question Of the National Guard adopt
ing the roll collar uniform indicate
that this component Of the Army of
the United tates is overwhelmingly in
favor Of the roll collar. The II States
which have been heard from are Mis-
sissippi, South Dakota. Oklahoma.
Wyoming, North Carolina. Kentucky.
South Carolina. New Mexico, Ten
nessee and Connecticut.
South Carolina, North Carolina,
South Dakota and Oklahoma are
Overwhelmingly In favor OF chang
ing from the tight-ftting military col
lar to the more comfortable roll col.
lar type. In his reply to Gen. Ham
,nond's questionable. the adjutant
general of North Carolina enthusi-
asticaIly suggested that the Army blue
dress be adopted for formal occasions
and that the present olive drab uni
form be worn only for service use.
Returns from the Pacific Coast States
are expected to come In beginning this
week. AS forecast in these columns
several weeks ago. the National Guard
appears to be practically to man in
favor of the roll collar, and the re-
turns of the next two or three weeks
will be watched with great interest
by officers on duty in the War De-
partment.
Navy.
strong resistance is being made by
Mai. Gen. John A. Lejeune. comman-
dant of the United States Marine Corps,
10 the estimates proposed by the di-
rector Of the budget, which. In the
event they are carried out. will mean
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