Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-19
Army Economies.

Representative Will r. Wood Of In
diana, slated to be the next chairman
Of the House appropriations committee,
has come forward in defense Of Presi-
dent Hoover's proposal for a reduction
OF Army costs. AS chairman of the
House committee, Mr.. Wood will have
much influence on the appropriations
for the Army. His opinions will neces-
sarily bear weight. He Is convinced, he
says, that the Army Is topheavy with
officers. In an interview on his return
from the Panama Canal Zone he as
serts that several existing branches Of
the military services could be eliminated
or consolidated with others and that
frozen assets" Of the Army could well
be dispensed with.
The program Of reduction suggested
by Mr.. Wood is interesting, particularly
because of its source. His comment that
an army Of 111,000 men, with 1900
officers, is topheavy with officers may
require, however, some explanation. Ad-
mittedly the Regular Army of the
United States is kept at minimum,
mere skeleton upon which to build a
great Army in time of emergency. Sol
diers are not made overnight-not in
these days Of modern warfare and in
days when the use Of arms is discour-
aged. But the making of an efficient
Army officer, capable Of leading men
in warfare, is a still longer task. Re,
duction of the number of Army officers
in this country might be costly ex-
pertinent In the long run. Mr.. Wood
complains that on the Canal Zone the
United States has only 5000 men, with
four major generals to command them.
In time Of war one major general, he
points out, would command from 10000
to $4,000 men. It is better policy for
this Government to have four major
generals when the country IS at peace
in command Of one-tenth, for example,
the number of men they would COM
mand in time of war than to have two
major generals with 10000 men each
under their command. Certainly it Is
more economical.
The World War Is q decade in the
past. It burst upon the world at a
time when many persons believed that
the day Of great international conflicts
had passed. Big business, it was said,
could not afford to have war. But
the war came. Another may come.
Economy Is advisable. But SO is insur-
ance. The appropriations made for the
Army and the Navy must be regarded
In the nature of insurance. The Army
has already been reduced to a mere
national police force in size. It has
been skeletonized. To pick the bones
Of the skeleton would seem upon its
face most unwise policy.
The proposed consolidation Of various
branches Of the Army, suggested by Mr..
Wood, may be advisable. He proposes
that the Coast Artillery be consolidated
with the Field Artillery, and that the
Chemical Welfare Service be merged
with ordnance. These are proposals
which must be passed upon by experts.
Frozen assets" coming over some Of
them from the World War days, should
be disposed Of without further delay,
MIR. Wood insists. He points to $140,-
900 worth of harness on the Canal Zone
which he says is not used, but which
must be oiled constantly to prevent its
decay. This, he says, Is but o sample.
Perhaps Mr.. Wood is entirely correct
In these matters Certainly thew are
matters which the general staff Of the
Army should consider when they make
their report to the President in regard
to economies which may be practiced
in connection with the military service.
But with the fundamental peace-time
policy of holding trained officers in
charge Of q skeletonized enlisted COM
plement which can be swiftly recruited
to meet any emergency. there would
seem to be no present ground for dis
agreement.