Evening star., 1925-07-26
Army and Navy News
By NJ. II. Mcintyre.

| it is expected that the department
will announce the new selections.
Strong feeling is apparent through
out the Army that in making the new
| selections. especially in the grades of
major general and brigadier general,
seniority should be one of the gov
erning factors. II Is pointed out that
the disposition of the War Department
authorities In going down the list and
selecting young brigadier generals and
| Colonels for promotion is producing a
depressing effect upon the Army.
Filling the general officer grades with
younger men is closing the door of
promotion to the older officers, as
after every war the flow of promo
1t is argued that going down the list
and selecting younger officers to f1ll
the important assignments is an in
ducement to the younger officers to
render more efficient service, but at
the same time, it is declared. this will
have bad effect upon the military
establishment.
The situation is further complicated
by the attempt TO distribute the ap-
pointments equally among the differ
ent arms of the service. In support
of this argument, the Infantry claim
that this branch is below its proper
tionate share of the general officers
grade. The three recent Cavalry ap-
| pointmentS, together with the age of
the Field Artillery colonels, 1t is
| claimed will, If the distribution among
the branches Is to be equalized, make
II necessary to fill the next vacancies
from the Infantry. A thorough study
has been made in the War Depart
ment of the entire question, and Act
ing Secretary of War Davis will sub
init recommends ton to Secretary
Weeks in the near future on the sit
uation.
NAVY.
Tentative Navy Department plans
relative to the assignment of those
flag officers who are due to come
ashore in the next two months have
death last week of Rear Admiral
George w. Williams, L. S. NJ, who
has been on duty as commander of
the destroyer squadrons of the
scouting fleet. Effective upon the
completion of this duty he had been
selected as assistant TO the chief of
naval operations
AS a result of Admiral Williams
demise, it Is possible that Rear Ad-
miral Montgomery NJ. Taylor, COM
mander of the control force, who was
mentioned in this column recently as
the successor of Rear Admiral
Charles f. Hughes, U. S. NJ, director
or fleet training in the Bureau of
Naval Operations. Navy Department
may be assigned as assistant chief of
naval operations. Should such pro-
cedure be carried out efforts will be
made by the Navy Department to Sc
cure another flag officer for fleet
training, as this work is regarded as
OF the greatest Importance.
Another officer affected by this re-
vision in high naval commands is
Capt Luke McNamee, now on duty
as naval attache at London, who on
November 16 will be promoted to
rear admiral. Though it is pointed
out by officers on duty in the Navy
Department that flag officers in the
in London. to detach an admiral
from the Navy for diplomatic duty
Is contrary to Navy Department
policy. Upon attaining flag rank. it
Is the consensus of opinion in naval
circles that Capt. McNamee will be
ordered away from his present post
In carrying out his policy of broad
ening the education of Medical Corps
officers of the Navy by encouraging
them TO matriculate in courses which
will not interfere with their duties
when they are stationed in the vicin-
ity of large civilian medical institu-
tions, Rear Admiral Edward r. Stitt..
surgeon general of the Navy, an
nounced this week that about 40
medical officers of the Navy took ad-
vantage of this opportunity the past
year and enrolled in special post
graduate courses. Among the courses
taken were surgery, roentgenology
medicine, obstetrics, eye, ear, nose
and throat; psychiatry, tuberculosis
urology, flight surgery and gas war
fare.
This matriculation of officers sta
toned near medical schools is in ad-
dition to the regular detail of officers
who are ordered to take special courses
at the different medical institutions
This policy was inaugurated by Ad-
mtral Stitt in an effort to have the
Navy medical officers keep pace with
modern medical practice, which would
enable them to meet the demands now
required for the care of the Navy
sick. In addition to supervising the
sanitary education of a large native
population situated in two oceans
Navy medical officers have under
treatment at naval medical institu-
tionS 200 veterans of all ages. Ex-