Evening star., 1936-02-02
TESTS PROPOSED
FOR ARMY CADETS
Bill by McSWain Proposes
Scrapping Appointive
System.

Under provisions in a bill intro
duced in the House of Representa-
tives last week by Representative
John McSwain, chairman of the Mill
tary Committee, it is planned to scrap
the present method Of appointing
cadets to the United States Military
Academy and to substitute in lieu
thereof a competitive examination.
It's purpose is to provide for appoint
ments to- the academy on a merit
basis as a result of examinations,
rather than by congressional appoint
ment. The examination will rate as
only IS per cent of the total COM
petition, the other IS per cent being
judged on the qualities of leadership,
character and temperamental fitness.
There is a provision which pre-
scribes that the President may direct
that the mental examinations re-
quired shall be conducted by the
United States Civil Service Commits
sion. Quite number of Senators
and Representatives over the years
have availed themselves of the fa-
cilities of the Civil Service Commits
sion in naming candidates and al
ternates, but the serious undermin-
ing of the merit system during the
present administration questions the
wisdom Of such change in the ap-
pointment system of the military
academy. There is little hope that
members of Congress will favor CIV
ing up what many consider a bit Of
patronage by which some worthy
family can be placed under obliga-
tionS.
There was no change last week in
the promotion list of the Army, the
last nominations being those of Lieut..
Col. Charles H. Rice, Infantry, to be
colonel; Maj. Jens A. Doe, Infantry, to be
lieutenant colonel, and Capt. Frank L..
Burns, Infantry, to be major. There are
no vacancies in any of the grades.
The senior officers in their respective
grades awaiting promotion are Lieut..
Col. Melvin G. Faris, Infantry; Maj.
Lester L. Lampert. Infantry; Capt.
Harold E. Stow, Infantry; First Lieut..
William c. Baker, jr., Corps of En-
gineers, and Second Lieut.. Wendell H.
Langdon, Infantry.
The present estimate is that three
commanders of the Supply Corps who
were recommended for promotion to
the rank of captain by the selection
board that convened at the Navy De-
partmcnt on January 6, will not be-
! come due for advancement to the
higher rank before June of 1887.
The officers concerned include
Comdr. Smith Hempstone. now under
going instruction at the Naval War
College; Comdr. Harold C. Gwynne,
on duty at the Puget Sound Navy
Yard, and Comdr. Hervey B. Rams
dell, now attached 70 the U. S. S.
Ranger. Comdr. Ransdell will be de-
tached from the Ranger about April
and will come to the Washington
Navy Yard for duty.
Rear Admiral Emory S. Land, chief
constructor of the Navy and chief Of
the Bureau of Construction and Repair,
heads the selection BOARD that con-
vened at the Navy Department last
Monday to recommend one officer of
the Construction Corps of the Navy
for advancement to the rank of cap
tain.
A meeting of medical officers of the
Navy, on duty in the District Of Co.
lumbia and vicinity. will be held at
the Naval Medical School tomorrow
at 8 pm. Dr. Albert H. Ebeling, as
sociate, scientific staff, Rockefeller In
stitute, will lecture on From the
Method of Tissue Culture to the Gull
| tivation of Whole Organs"