Evening star., 1926-10-24

medical officers.
113 dental officers. so veterinary Off
GERS, 35 Auxiliary Corps officers and
2.050 enlisted men, are the outsta nd
Ing points contained in the recon-
mendations made last week by Maj.
Gen. Merritte w. Ireland, surgeon
general % the Army. to the Sec
retary Of War. which contemplate
q most important and far-reach-
ing rganization of the Medical
Department Of the Regular Army.
Added interest is also attached to that
part of his recommendation which
provides that hereafter any medical
officer on duty as White House ply.
sician shall. at the pleasure Of the
President. have the rank, pay and
allowances of a brigadier general Of
the Medical Department while SO serv
ing This would he regarded as a
temporary appointment not to be
counted against the allowance Of the
general officers proposed in the re-
organization project.
The six general officers of the Med
ical Department under the scheme
evolved by Gen. Ireland would consist
of one surgeon general with the rank
Of ma jor general who would be Sc
lected from the officers of the Medical
Corps Of the Regular esta blishment
not below the grade of colonel. and
who would be chief of the Medical De-
partment. and five hrigadier generals,
three of whom would be selected from
officers of the Medical Corps. Regular
Army, not below the grade of colonel:
one from Regular officers of the Dental
Corps not below the grade of colonel
and one from officers of the Veterinary
Corps of the Regular establishment,
also not below the grade of colonel.
These five brigadier generals would
serve as asssta nts to the surgeon gen
eral or on such other Medical Depart
ment activities as approved hy the
Secretary of War.
In the opinion of Gen. Ireland, who
this month enters upon his third term
as surgeon general of the Army. in
creasing the relative rank for mem
bers of the Nurse Corps is quite in
keeping with the scope and response
hilites of their work, as aside from
handling all matters pertaining to the
nurses on active duty with the Regu
lar Army during peace time, the su
perintendent and her assistants, un-
der the direction of the surgeon gen
eral, are solely responsible for the
enrolment, in cooperation with the
American Red Cross. of all reserve
nurses to be required in any emer-
gency. In hospitals. Gen. Ireland
points out il is especially desired
that the chief nurse have the relative
rank of captain and the head nurse
the relative rank of first lieutenant.
The purpose for the creation Of the
Auxiliary Corps, Gen. Ireland explains.
is to absorb in one component all the
non professional personnel of the
Medical Department. particularly the
Medical Administra tive Corps as now
constituted and the Sanitary Corps.
the utilization of which is only taken
advantage of in time of war. Sanl-
tary Corps officers are commissioned
In grades from second lieutenant to
colonel, inclusive At the present
officers of the Medical Administrative
Corps are restricted to the grade of
captain. but under Gen. 1reland's
proposals they would be promoted on
a length of service basis similar to
that obtaining in the case of officers
of the Medical, Dental and Veterinary
Corps, up to the grade of colonel.
save that an additional five years OF
commissioned service has been i'm
posed in their cases 10 offset the diff
ference in age on commission between
non graduate and graduate personnel.
Over a long period of years, Gen. Ire
land continued, the average age on
first commission in the case of Off
GERS of the Medical Corps has been
2s. while III the case of applicants
for the Medical Auxiliary Corps it
would probably he around %. In the
case of those officers now in the Med
ical Administrative Corps no promo
ton TO the grade of major under the
terms of this bill would occur until
1884 Few of the present captains
Of the Medical Administrative Corps
would evar attain the grade of lieu
tenant colonel as they will have heen
retired for age before acquiring the
necessary length of commissioned
service In the event of their sur
vival only four would attain the grade
Of colonel in 194s-49 Immediately pre-
ceding their retirement for age. IN
der Gen Ireland's proposal. upon the
absorption of these officers in the
Medical Auxiliary Corps they would
he assigned to duty AZ supply depots.
general hospitals and service schools
of the Medical Department and gradu
allv take over the duties now being
performed by Medical Corps officers
whose services are required on work
more Immediately connected with
professional attendance on the sick
and injured While no promotions
before 1884 would occur in the case
of these officers as result OF the
massage OF this act. there would re-
suit Immediately an increase of
gross total of about $4,000 per year
an the item of longevity pay for all
CAPTAINS now in the Medical Admin
istrative Corps.
Gen. ireland has stressed the per-
sonnel shortage of the Medical Depart
ynent for some time in his annual re-
ports 10 the Secretary of War. and 1t
is his opinion that remedial action can
no longer he deferred without seri-
pusiv !mpairins not only the efficiency
NJ that department. hut the welfare
of the entire Army at large. To en-:
rhaslze the acuteness of the personnel
shortage Of the Medical Department,
Gen. Ireland pointed out that depart.
Ynent could not man single surgical
hospital. evacuation hospital, hospital
train. or any of the other agencies
necessary for conducting proper
evacuation service in the field with
out abandoning the larger part Of IT'S
present and vitality essential fixed hos
pttslization AT least three medlcal
regiments and one medical squadron
should be maintained by the regular
establishment in time Of peace foi
training purposes and as nucleus on
which to prepare for mobilization In
an emergency III C'fCiuuIiS ms tieo
for the reorga nizing of the Medical
Department of the Regular Army.
which is probably one of the moss
comprehensive plans ever submitted
to the Secretary OF WaA Gen. Ireland.
In touching upon the expense involved
ar providing for this proposed person
mel increase. very aptly cites the lact
that "it would seem that from Fed
eral standpoint any branch that car
rfes on activities of the nature OF
the Medical Department can he viewed
as an asset rather than liability. In
looking after and promoting the
health of the military establishment
L. In direcflN conserving the Federal