Evening star., 1926-05-23

W. iitei 1t. Col. tlOpton' Or.
goes to Governors
Island, y. Y. where he will relieve
Lieut.. Col. Hidden Olin, F. d., as
finance officer of the I'd Corps Area.
The latter will so to the Panama
Canal Department. where he Will re-
leve Lieut.. Col William II. Menges at
the department headquarters.
The proposal for an increase of 40
cadetships at the L. s. Military
Academy, to he allotted TO the United
States at large, the appointments to
he restricted TO the sons of officers,
soldiers sailors, and marines OF the
Army. Navy and Marine Corps OF
the United States who were Killed IN
action or died prior to July :, WI, OF
wounds or injuries received or disease
contracted in line of duty during the
war, though it has the approval OF
The War Department. has not been
recommended for favorable conSiuera-
lion BY Secretary of War DAVIS, que
IL the fact that it would conflict WIN
the final nCial program OF the freSlueht.
The assembly of four croSS-country
cars at Aberdeen Proving Ground Is
rapidly nearing completion. These
cars are samples of the type recently
adopted as the new standard nEht
vehicles, which will probably replace
motor cycles and the lighter types of
trucks, and possibly the heavier stan
reconnaissance cars in tactical organl'
cations of the Army requiring motor
vehicles with a high degree OF
mobility. The sacrifice OF number
of automobile accessories to which
the modern motorist is accustomed
has greatly reduced the weight OF
these cars. and the use of balloon
tires permits the cars to leave the
road with facility. Three of the four
sample cars nearing completion Will
he tested at the border stations of
the LIST Cavalry Division. while the
fourth car will be given a test by the
field artillery at Fort Bragg, y. (.
The protracted struggle Waged by
the Army Finance Department for
securing relief for those diSburSing
officers who made payments in de-
pendent mother cases in good faith
came to successful elimination last
week, and the Controller General OF
the United States has been authorized
and directed TO allow credit in the ac-
counts of diSbursing officers for pay
ments of communication of quarters.
heat and light under the act approved
April 16. 1918 t40 Stat, page 500, be-
cause of a dependent parent. and as
rental and subsistence allowance
under the act of June 10, 1922 t42
Stat. page $3.50. because OF depend
ent mo her made in good faith by dis
bursting officers prior to July l, 1923.
The controller has made it known
that he is very anxious to clear up
these old accounts. and now that he
has been clothed with the above au-
Ihority it is felt that this provision
will give him the necessary legal au-
thority to do this. The Finance De
partment VIII take up with the con-
troller in the immediate future all of
the contested cases of which there Is
record in the War Department. and
every effort will he made to get them
settled as eXpeditiously as possible. so
as to do away with the heavy cost
which has been borne by the con-
troIer and the Finance Department
in carrying on this vast amount of
correspondence during the past three
or four years. 1t is hoped to effect
by conference an expeditions plan of
considering all Of these cases, which
have been in dispute for so many
years and which have necessitated
clothing the controller with this
authority.
spondence. however. officers whose
cases have been passed by the War
Department and Finance Department.
are advised by the department not to
communicate with them unless they
have additional evidence to offer. If
the War Department desires more evi-
lence, the officers concerned will re-
ceive notice. but in no case should
further correspondence be carried on.
The credit for bringing these long
draWn-out cases to successful con-
clusion belongs to Maj. Gen. kenzie
w. Walker. chief of finance, and Col.
=. W. Coleman. assistant chief Of
finance. The successful termination
Of this case will provide relief for
every disbursing officer who made
these payments in good faith. and 1t
will clear up the accounts of hum
dredS of officers. This is the first
time in the history of the Army that
a department has taken up the gaunt-
let in defense of members of the serv-
ice. In the past if an officers ac-
counts were tied up by suspensions or
other disallowances II was necessary
for him TO file suit in court himself
to secure relief from what he thought
was an injustice. The tireless energy
of both Gen. Walker and Col. Cole
man in the prosecution of these cases,
which affect hundreds of officers. is re-
sponsible for the elimination of this
case, and the entire service owes them
a debt of gratitude
NAVY.