Evening star., 1941-06-01
House Group Fails
To Act on Plan 10
Adjust Officers Pay
Temporary Promotions
Causing Disporities,
Army Officials Soy

The House Military Affairs Com
mittee last week failed to take ac-
ton on proposed legislation provid-
ing that officers serving under tenn
porary promotion receive the pay Of
the rank. Committee reaction pro-
vided strong indication that the
bill was destined to die in commit
tee and at least half a dozen men,
bers expressed doubt that the meas
ure should be enacted. A general
staff officer supporting the pay bill
for the War Department pointed out
that peacetime mobilization and
resultant necessary temporary pro-
motion has created a disparity in
pay among the various grades.
Many Regular officers of long years
of experience are serving along with
National Guard officers and Reserve
officers Of the same rank and are a
pay period below these officers Of
the Reserve components. A decla-
ration of war, it is said. would
leaven this situation, but there is no
law to cover mobilization during
time of emergency such as the Ma
ton now has.
Regular Officers Outranked.
In numerous instances, 1t is as
serted. Reserve officers have come
into the service with greater rank
than Regular officers of equal length
of service, and cases have been cited
where Regular officers had Military
Academy classmates who had failed
at the academy and who later en-
tered the Reserve and who now rank
them on active duty and receive
more pay
One suggestion made was that the
pay of Reserve officers be reduced
to conform with that of officers serv-
ing in temporary rank as being a
better alternative than increasing
the pay of the Regular officer. On
the other hand, 1t was contended
that the pay scale of Reserve off,
GERS should not be disturbed, since it
was closely tied up with his promo
ton.
OF interest to Naval Reserve off,
GERS in this connection is that
strong sentiment prevails in the
House Naval Affairs Committee for
legislation of this kind. A repre-
sentative of the Bureau of Naviga-
ton, Navy Department. supporting
this legislation for the bureau,
pointed out that it was the apparent
intent of Congress to make the pay
act effective when the Reserves are
modified and placed on the same
basis as Regular officers. The pay
act, however, provides that in time
of war officers temporarily promoted
shall receive the pay of the tempo
rary rank. but no peacetime pro-
vision exists.
Reappointment Provided.
Former Reserve officers of Junior
grades, who, for business of other
reasons, were forced to relinquish
their commissions, may now be re-
appointed as second heutenants. To
be reappointed, however, their
original appointment as a Reserve
officer must have been made subse-
quent to 1888; they were in an
eligible status at the time their
Reserve appointment was terminal
ed; their appointments were not
terminated for misconduct or SINH
lar cause; they must pass final
physical examination; have the ap-
proval of the corps area or depart
ment commander in chief of branch
concerned, and that they attain a
new certificate of capacity.
This action is being taken by the
War Department in order to utilize
the services of the younger former
Reserve officers who for the most
part have received four years of
training at Government expense in
the r. o. T. c. units with the vari-
Gus colleges.