Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-07-02
5 Questions
On IT, S. Army
Answered
johnson Does His Best
on Fast Ones
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

many questions in fan mail
about the rapid developments on
military fronts. including the one
at home. II is equally embar-
RAISING TO have to confess that
all the answers aren't in stock -
especially in the great guessing
contest Of the commentators
about the continuing sleight-of-
hand performance overseas.
The events and the questions
are coming so fast just now that
there are not columns enough
10 try TO answer without con-
densing several discussions in
one piece.
Just now the bulk OF queries
on the home front are in five
heads: Cd the nounce ID
purge of unfit army officers;
90 the departure from the rule
of seniority 10 an alleged rule
Of merit in army promotions be-
low the grade of brigadier gen.
eral: 80 this business OF re-
turning selected men TO civil life
before they are trained in mod
ern warfare and drafting 100000
other men; "a broadening the
rule of CONSUMPTION 10 a point
that practically excuses married
mon regardless Of any real de-
tendency; and go proposed low
ering the age limits Of conscrip-
ton with a result of taking only
men below age %.
nISCLAIMING stock on hand
~ for delivery on all these
goods. here is the best we have
in the shop:
There is nothing new about
The principle of the purge or de-
parture from the rule of senior
ity in promotions. We did both
vigorously in the World Mar
Purging didn't get much pub
LEFTY because most OF II was
done in France.
General Pershing set up
great Reconsideration center" at
BloiS which the soldiers appro-
priately called "Bloocs" There
the stumblebums. politicoS. fair
haired boys who were bootinG
the ball on the job. were sent
and "reclassified. which meant
relieved of command and put 10
counting beans or whatever II
was hoped they could do when
what they couldn't do became so
dangerously apparent.
Similarly. by the device Of
Temporary" commissions, the
automatic rule of promotion only
by the death Of seniors was laid
on the shelf and any man whose
head stuck up above the ruck
had some chance OF recognition
on Napoleon'S rule that every
simple soldier had marshal :
baton in his knapsack if he could
qualify in action.
THESE two Improvements are
i absolutely necessary in war
10 inspire the twin incentives to
military efficiency-"hope of re-
ward for performance, fear Of
punishment for failure" In the
stern tests and atmosphere of
war. there is little fear of their
abuse. In peace, or even in such
times as these, there IL more
danger. The responsibilities are
not great enough. The tests are
not sufficiently severe and GER
tain.
Performance in sham battles
is too tricky and there IS still too
much room for hand-shakerS,
coffee-coolerS and adopts in
army politics. How can We he
sure that the brass hat burgers
and promoters are any more
competent than the men they
purge and promote? Just the
same. the principle is right for
war and l am informed that un-
less and until the real test
comes, IT will be used with-the
utmost patience.
On the question Of returning
the first selectee after a year
and before they are fully
trained and drafting 100000
more. there are several ample
Qualifications. One is that there
was the moral obligation Of the
promise under which they were
drafted. Another is that they
couldn't be fully trained because
there was not sufficient equip
ment TO train them and won't
be for another year. But. eX-
cept in cases OF gross ineffi-
cheney of officers. these boys
have been given much Of the
mental outlook and the physical
hardening Of The soldier which
is nine-tenths, of the job.
Until now, we had no en-
~ listed reserve - which is
our greatest weakness. This be-
gins 10 build one. The next con-
tingent will increase IT,, and
their training will be better.
Finally, as TO proposed defer
ments Of older age classes and
actual deferments of married
men. what everybody seems 10
overlook is that these are not
exemptions but merely delays in
calls 10 service. When our pool
Of availabies is so great. our
capacity 10 absorb and train so
limited and the bloody sacrifice
of war has NOT vet come WHY