Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-08

with q view to increasing his value to
the Army.
An oficer, counting four years at
| West Point may well expect to spend
ten or more years of his service as a
student in the various Army educa-
| tional institutions. When he is not a
student he is more than likely to be
| engaged in imparting his acquired
knowledge to others. A former Sec
rotary Of War very aptly referred to
himself as the head of the greatest
university in the world; and the nature
of the United States Army makes these
opportunities for learning available to
our fellow citizens.
are the other components of the Unit
ed states Army First in order OF
readiness to perform combat duty is
the National Guard, approximately
i75. 900 strong, available for both state
and Federal service.
Immediately following the World war
we had no problem OF provldlng re-
| servists: the. Nation included great
number of men with actual war expert
ence. But, looking to the future, agen-
cies for training the citizen soldiers OF
the coming generation are obviously
essential. For this purpose there nave
been instituted two peculiarly American
institutions - the Reserve Omcers
Training Corps and the Citizens Mill
tary Training Camps.
In the former, students at educa-
tional institutions receive training that
eventually fits them for reserve COM
missions; in the latter a limited num-
Der of the youth of our land, without
regard to means or social station, have
military instruction for a month in each
year, and may eventually qualify for
either the Officers' or Enlisted Reserve
Corps.
The military structure of our country
is thus necessarily complex in form.
It's administration admits Of centraliza-
ton of control, but demands decen-
tralization Of execution. But efficiency
calls for a greater degree of decentral-
ization, and in consequence the CONT
mental United States Is divided into
nine geographic regions Of approximate
~ equal population, the supervision of
the military affairs in each Of which
is confided to a major general.
These nine corp areas and the three
overseas departments of the Panama
Canal Zone, the Hawaiian Islands and
the Philippines constitute framework
within which the affairs of the Army
can be handled efficiently. This sys-
tenn of organization is chartered by the
national defense act, which, given def
mite form in 1920, established the corp
areas and departments, provided for
the interrelationship of the various
components of theIFm of the United
States and by requiring the War De-
partment to prepare plans for the flu
ture protection of our country placed
us in a better position than ever before
to meet an emergency.
The primary duty of the Army Is
necessarily the maintenance of peace.
At the same time, the above outline of
some of its normal activities shows that
even in time of peace it is able to par
ticipate in the normal and healthy life
of the Nation and to contribute to the
steady upward progress Of our country.
This article was prepared prior to my
illness and before had had personal
experience with the officers of the Army
Medical Corps. Since my illness have
come to admire them from the bottom
of my heart. My gratitude for the pro-
feSsional services rendered me can never
be fully expressed. have explicit con-
fldence in those attending me. I have
paid tribute in my article to Col. Keller
from hearsay, but want to express
in a footnote my highest admiration
for him both professionally and per-
Sonally.