Evening star., 1925-03-29

| ton to a major general would be most
popular one throughout the military es-
tablishment.
Completion of the working organiza-
ton of the Army, Navy and Marine
Corps Country Club, plus the accept
ance of the applications Of more than
250 officers on duty in Washington as
active members during the week. have
advanced the work plans of the project
| to such point that before the end OF
the Summer, in all probability, there
will be available for use a golf course,
| tennis courts and a swimming pool. This
| is contingent, however, upon the prompt
| response of officers, both active and re-
serve, to the appeal of the membership
committee. The committee desires to
| impress upon the services that delay
| in responding will only serve to lengthen
the time which must elapsc before the
grounds can be made ready to play on
According to the plans, work on the
golf course and the tennis courts viii
be carried on simultaneously, and.
providing sufficient number Of
| memberships are received immedi-
ateIy, work will be started on the
swimming pool. The clubhouse viii
be put in condition as rapidly as pos
sible at the same time that the rest
of the work is being done, and the
development of the rest Of the 22a
acres of land will be more gradual
and will extend over a period Of at
least a year. The membership fees
have been kept as low as is consistent
with the development of an up-to-
date country club which will fill the
needs Of the personnel of the three
services either on duty in Washing
ton or those visiting Washington
| from time TO time. Officers in Wash
ington who are familiar with the diff
| ficulties attending membership in
| other clubs have hailed the new serv-
| ice country club with great enthu-
siasm, which, upon the completion OF
the landscape gardening, will be the
most beautiful in Washington
Careful consideration is being given
| not only TO the recomme endations Of
the chief Of Air Service, but numer-
Gus other proposals are being studied
| by the War Department General staff.
which at the present time is engaged
| in an exhaustive study Of the Air Serv-
| ice personnel problem. Up to the present
| time this study by the General STAFF
| has resulted in two suggestions being
| made, as follows: Adoption of a de-
| tail system for the Air Service
| wartime insurance for fifers in time
| of peace.
| 1t is recognized that an officer or
enlisted man cannot be expected to be
| on active flying duty for more than
| IA or Is years. More consideration is
| being given the detail system for the
Air Service than any Of the other sug-
| gestions, and study is being made
| by the general staff of the manner in
| which the Navy Department handles
its aviation personnel After officers
| have served a certain period in the
Air Service, 1t is pointed out they
would be of great value to the mill
tary establishment when transferred
to other services. The Air Service
| will always be in need of officers in
1.-THE grades of captains and Iieutenants
for fiiers. declared Mai. Gen. Mason
NJ. Patrick, chief of the Air Service,
and after they have attained their
| majority or higher rank. with this
system in force, they would be trans
ferred to other branches of the serv-
ice for qualification OF higher com
mands. As commanders Of other
combat units, it is stated that they
would be in position to cooperate
| more closely with the air force.
Although the insurance suggestion
has appeared in a number of forms,
there are numbered among its sup
porters those who object to the dou-
bic time for retirement features
Members of both the military and
naval establishments feel that a large
retired list may result in a complete
revision of the retirement laws, which
subject a member of Congress occa-
sionally brings up in an outburst of
loquacity. The merits of a retired
list is recognized by the large COM
mercial firms and there is tendency
| in Government service toward this
end which, it is believed, secures
greater efficiency and the building up
of morals of any service. Only those
members who have not gone carefully
into the subject talk of revising the
Army and Navy retirement laws A
great deal of thought is being given
by the general staff studying this
problem, and il is believed that, as a
result, the Secretary Of War will send
; to the Congress some recommends
tions on this most important subject