Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-28

The officers and enlisted personnel OF
the Regular Army now available Tor
the training of the Organized Reserves
are so few, it is declared, that aoe-
uuate training for any appreciate num-
Der of the Reserves Is not possible. The
expansion of the Air Corps by five an
nual increments by reducing the Varl-
GUS arms of the service is responsible,
to a certain extent, for the lack OF sum-
cient Regular Army personnel for the
training Of the Reserves. 1t was brought
out a few years ago by War Department
representatives at hearing of a con-
eressional committee on the appropria-
ton bills that by a great effort it would
be possible to give fair training to H.
900 Reserve officers annually, but IL
was fully realized at that time by the
Regular Army that though 1t might pc
possible to give this number OF Reserve
officers valuable training, 1t would not
be possible to give them the full tram
ing that they should have.
Under the current appropriation act,
with a much smaller number of regu-
lar officers available for instruction pur-
poses, funds are provided for the pay
of some 10000 Reserve officers during
14-day training periods. If 1t was hard
ly possible for larger Regular Army
to train 1900 Reserve officers a few
years ago, the question being asked by
thoughtful Reserve officers Is how can
o smaller force of Regular Army officers
adequately train 10000 Reserve officers?
Fortunately, the Reserve officers OF the
country have in the Reserve OmcerS
Association a friend at court. This as
ISOLATION, composed of Reserve officers
representing all sections of the country,
is asking annual training for $4,000 Re-
serve officers. The consensus of opinion
is that at least 10000 Reserve officers
should be trained annually, but author
izing pay for this number is not provid-
ing training for such number. The
opinion was expressed last week that II
the further increments for the expan-
sion of the Air Corps are made at the
expense of the other branches of the
Regular Army, 1t is doubtful II the regu-
lar establishment will have SUFFICIENT
personnel to adequately train even TO-
900 Reserve officers annually.
A situation affecting large number
Of Reserve officers throughout the coun-
in a recent ruling of the Treasury De-
partment to the effect that a Reserve
officer is, under the provisions Of an old
statute, an officer of the Government
The ruling was handed down, it appears
as the results of the efforts Of Reserve
officer from Georgia to be admitted to
practice law before the Treasury De-
partment. In this test case to deter
mine, in reality, the actual status OF
Reserve officers, an appeal was made to
the War Department by the Reserve
Oficers' Association to aid the associa.
ton in its efforts to establish the fact
that Reserve officers are not officers Of
the Government until they are. called
or drafted into the service of the United
States.
During recent years both the Wal
Department and the Court Of Claims
have handed down rulings in the mat
ter to the effect that Reserve oncel
enjoys all the rights and privileges OF
any other citizen, excepting while or
active duty. To settle the matter once
and for all, legislation is being drafted
for submission to the next Congress
that will amend the national defense
act by providing "That Reserve Officers
while not on active, or while on active
duty for instruction or training only
shall not, by reason solely OF their ap.
pointments, oathS, commissions Oh
status as Reserve officers. or any duties
or functions performed or pay or allow
ances received as Reserve ofncers, d
held or deemed to be officers or en-
nIoyes Of the United States or persons
kolding any ONCE Of trust or proft o.