Evening star., 1930-11-30
ACK Of adequate promotion legis-
lation for the Army Air Corps,
long recognized as a serious han
dicap, has become "an outright

lation for the Army Air Corps
long recognized as a serious han
dicap, has become "an outright
menace to the continued efficiency
cf the Air Corps" F. Trubee Dawson
Assistant Secretary of War, says in 9
forceful statement in his annual report
made public Friday by the War Depart.
ment.
A visit to any of the tactical posts Of
the Air Corps or to its Offices in the
War Department offers proof of the
Ruth of the statement. The hopeless
xsess of the situation from the view
point of the Junior officer in the All
Corps is illustrated by the fact that OF
the 494 first lieutenants in the corps
more than 400 have had continuous
service since the World War. For IL
years they have waited for promotions
which never have come.
The result hfs been the loss by resig-
nation of valuable olicers among them
some of the most famous in the mill
tary services, the imposition OF unwar-
ranted responsibilities on junior officers
and the undermining of morale to q
point where younger officers are In
danger of giving way to a spirit OF
hopelessness which in time will develop
into apathy.
The Air Corps tables of organization
specify that major shall command
each squadron. There are in service
today SO Squadrons. Of the SO only
are commanded by majors.
"The remainder" Mr.. Dawson re-
ports, "are headed by captains (nct
many, first lieutenantS (quite few)
and second lieutenants (severaD."
The spectacle Of attack and pursu:;
squadrons being commanded by second
heutenants, Mr.. Dawson pointed out is
one which should make defense minded
citizens ponder.
Powerful "Shavetails."
Consider" he said, lone of our pur-
suit squadronS commanded, as 1t Is, by
a junior ofhcer-a second lieutenant
the lowest commissioned grade in the
service. He is responsible for the lives
and training of 18 fellow officers, the
conduct of 129 enlisted men and the
safe keeping Of planes, armament, radio
and other Government property as
signed to the squadron and worth more
than half a million dollars. other in
stances could be cited. That these
junior officers perform their difficult
jobs exceedingly well is splendid proof
OF their high caliber"
1t is obvious that for the good of the
service, however, responsibility and rank
should go hand in hand. The COM
mtSsioned personnel of the Air Corps
now is being supplied in the grade of
second lieutenant only and of the 500
officers of this rank in the service
about 800 have had less than two years
commissioned service.
Combat units of the service are suf-
fering. Mr.. Dawson said, because senior
officers with specialized training must
be diverted from the tactical organi-
cations to fill gaps in staff or special
assignments. This drain upon the COM
bat squadrons is further augmented by
demands for senior officers to serve as
instructors in the various service schools
throughout the Army. Air Corps Off
GERS also must be assigned to supervise
and train Reserve and National Guard
squadrcns. BY the time these various
demands upon Air Corps personnel have
been met heavy jnroads have been made
upon the hume rical strength of the
service, and tactical organizations are
left to get along as best they can.
Congress will be asked to enact Air
Corps promotion legislation during the
coming session, as it has been asked to
DO annually for number of years 1t
Is to be hoped that the bill will receive
favorable action and that this much
needed legislation finally will be en-
acted.