Evening star., 1932-08-07

general and concentrated 1t In nnance
! department. 1t was the first introduc-
ton into Government use Of the budget
system I put this new department
under Gen. Lord, afterward chief OF the
budget for the Government.
| l established the policy Of using only
active officers for military work through
| out the United States, and il pursuance
! of this policy I returned to the retired
list all the retired officers. found that
| Gen Scott, who had been chief Of STAN
when the war broke out and was past
the age limit, had been put in command
of Camp Dix, N. j., by personal order OF
| the President. His case presented some
! difficulties, as, of course, 1t would be
necessary to have President wilson's ap-
proval to revoke that order. Secretary
Baker was very fond Of Gen. Scott and
was not inclined to take the matter up
with the President.
The President issued an order desig-
| mating me to act as Secretary OF war
when the Secretary and First Assistant
| Secretary we're absent from Washington,
| and on one of these occasions. whlch
happened quite frequently during tne
war, ! issued a presidential order, May
12. 1918. relieving Gen. Scott from
| an active cmcer in his stead
Gen. Scott proceeded at once to
Washington, appeared at my oftce, and
said to me: "Gen. March, did you know
| I had been assigned to Camp Dix by
personal order of the President?" I re-
! plied that I did; he saluted me and
said. GOOD morning, general" and In
! his fine, soldierly spirit accepted the
| order exactly as it was issued. President
Wilson never spoke to me about the
order and did not interfere with It's
execution in anv way.
In reorganization of the general staff
| I placed at the head of the divisions a
croup of able, loya' assistants: Brig. Gen
Henry .!ervev al the head OF operations
Brig. Gen. Marlborough Churchill, mill
tary intelligence; Maj. Gen. George W
Goethals, purchase, storage and trafnc
and Brig. Gen. Lytle Brown, war plans
NV chief assistant, now called deputy
chief of staff, was, first, Brig. Gen. W
S. Graves, and later, Maj. Gen. Frank
Intvre. The order I issued for tht
reorganization of the general stan pro-
vtded, among other things:
"The chief of the general staff is
the immediate adviser of the Secre-
tarv of War on all matters relating
to the military establishment, and Is
charged bv the Secretary OF War
with the planning, development and
execution of the Army program.
The chief of staff by law takes rank
and precedence over all other otncerS
of the Army and by virtue OF that
position and by the authority OF the
Secretary of War he issues such
orders as will insure that the policies
of the War Department are mar
moniously executed by the several
corps, bureaus and other agencies OF
the military establishment, ana tnat
the Army program is carried oue
speedily and efficiently"
This order and delegation of authority
TO me we're personally approved Dy
Secretary Baker, acting for the Presl-
dent. Congress had already passed
the law under the provision of which
I was the ranking officer Of the United
States Army. I was now, by this order
specifically delegated the authority
commensurate with my Responsiveness
While the fact that the chief OF stan
was the military superior OF Gen
Pershing. as well as Of Gen. Graves, II
Siberia. was perfectly we'll known tc
all the Army it is here clearly set forth
as indicating to the non-mlntary reaoet
the source of authority for my oroers
to those subordinate commanders.
Picks Young staff.
Other changes were made, and ]
built up a machine of comparatively
Young and extremely active Army ON
GERS who were not only efficient but
loyal. I also authorized every short
cut possible for the transmission ol
papers whereby direct communication
was established between subordinates
instead of having everything gong
through the adjutant generals ONCE
for record, slowing up everything.
I worked until IL or l o'clock every
night and was usually the first man
down in the morning, and in handling
the business of the Office of chief OF
staff I decided orally tile greatest
mass of questions brought up on every
variety of subject, the officer present
ing the question making a record OF
the decision on the spot. In every way
saved every second possible in the
handling of the enormous amount Of
work necessary in the conduct OF such
a war.
should ever receive a commission IN
the United States Army who had not
received training In an authorized
training camp, no matter what influ-
ence was backing him. I called In the
adjutant general who had the respon-
sibility for the issuance of commits
sions and instructed him to the above
effect. This resulted in my first trou-
BILE with the Assistant Secretary oi
War. Benedict Crowell, who, it ap-
peared, sent orders to the adjutant gen.
eral to issue commissions for certain
persons who had not had the training
prescribed for officers. The adjutant
general simply refused to commission
them.
Backed by Baker.
Mr.. Crowell then spoke to Secretary
Baker about the matter In my presence
and stated that 1t had been the policy
Of the department before my time to