Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-23
Army Starts
To Toss Out
Mossbacks
4 Out Of 5 Men Rejected
by Promotion Board
BY PAUL MALLON

The social and political lions
who have slipped into fight
ing army spots as reserye--offi-
GERS and national guard leaders
are being weeded out quietly, by
simply allowing their commits
sions 10 expire shortly at the
end of their years service.
Then the board Of selection of
general officers, which has been
meeting here in such secrecy
that the identity of the board
men has not been divulged even
within the war department, has
now completed its initial report.
This report selects 300 full
colonies who are needed imme-
diately as active leaders in the
field. How deep it swept is
evident. The board went down
nearly 1900 names in the elig-
ible list of 5000 lieutenant
colonies before choosing the 800
men tempcramentally suited TO
lead the soldiers. IT passed over
four out of every five senior
officers.
Tl1E action represents a nation
L shaking departure from
army tradition. There will be
groaning aplenty. YelpS are al
ready beginning TO be heard in
congressional ears.
Custom always required the
chief of staff TO choose the
names placed at the top of elig-
ible lists by seniority.
No greater step TO encourage
civilian confidence in the future
of the army has been taken
since this defense program
started.
H,HE GERMANS slipped prae-
L tically all their air force out
OF Libya several days. back,
thereby giving conclusive evil
dence that major operations
elsewhere were nigh. Hitler
might hift-his forces around
on the Russian frontier for po-
litical effect, but he would
never withdraw his air force
from a fighting front without
military detectives in mind.
4 YOUNG French tank officer,
"A Lieut.. Robert Gerard, met
with the top flight colonies in the
war department for what was
advertised as a social dinner a
few days back. but II turned
out TO be frank analysis of
what is wrong with American
fighting equipment and what
should be done about il. Gerard
thought no army could match
the NaZis until it had superior
tanks. planes and guns in larger
quantities. Conclusion of the
dinner:
United States and Germany
are now engaged in a race for
superiority in military equip
ment. Improvements we make
now may be obsolete in a few
months. If we get AZ nm. anti
tank guns, the NaziS may re-
taliate with 5-inch armor plate.
requiring us to make a higher
caliber.
therefore, our program must
be continually altered as it
progresses.
MR.. ROQSEVELT"S sharp
4l words TO Congress on the
Robin Moor sinking were nat
urally accepted there as firm
ing of the ground sor further
action Some called il a build
up. The action generally eX-
pected was eventual severance
of diplomatic relations with Ger
many and further expansion of
sea patrol activity.
But the first firm irretrace-
able step in this course was the
expulsion of German conSuls
from the United States. The
state department we'll knew
Hitler would retaliatc by clos
ing our so or more valuable lis
tenlng posts IN his area In
fact our diplomats had delayed
this very action many months
with the private explanation
that they were tolerating the
obvious propaganda activity Of
German Sub-diplomatS in order
TO keep our military and naval
attaches in Europe.
II may. therefore. be assumed
logically that the war and navy
departments would not have
consented 10 the White House
opening this trend Of events
were not some very important
actions TO follow
Wharf.-The Tightening ALI along
w the government lines ex-
tended even 10 the President
press conferences The past
/ week an order went into effect
requiring each attending zorro.
Spondent 10 show his identified.
ton card with picture.
Hitler's official news agency
reporter. Kurt Sell, got IN al
right. His papers were IN order
Only one barred was the British
correspondent. DenyS Smith
/ London Telegraph He haC
left his card at home.
Note: None of the legitimate
Germ an news correspondents
have been disturbed by the
Roosevelt house-cleaninG. Only