Evening star., 1941-09-10
Reserve Officers
Warmly Defended
Writer Presents Opinions
In Striking Contrast
To Those of CoIumnist
To the Editor OF The Star:

After reading Henry McLemOreS re-
marks pertaining to Reserve officers, am
| convinced that his canvass of the hinter-
lands was quite superficial He failed to
! learn certain facts that are evident to
| those who have lived outside the con-
gestion of metropolitan centers. These
| latter know that the crossroads philoso-
| pher is a self admitted authority upon
practically any subject, and particularly
| is he a military expert. They also know
that when young Joe Doaks becomes Pvt.
Joe Doaks, he loves to impress the folks
| back home with his knowledge of the
Army, and throws terms of the military
| profession around in his letters with
the greatest of ease.
I could excuse Mr.. McLemore for be-
ing duped into accepting the version OF
| the village storekeeper from whom Pvt.
! Doaks uncle's hired man buys his over
! alls and chewing tobacco, were it not
for the deplorable effect of his remarks.
When national unity is lacking and so
| gravely needed, and confidence Of the
! home folks in the Army is essential to
Army morale, the columnist who COM
ments on the Army is duty bound as
citizen to insure that his source of in
/ formation is reliable. Mr.. McLemore Is
derelict in this duty. His remarks per-
tanning to the terrible physical con-
dition" of some Reserve officers does not
ring true in view of the complete and
impartial physical examination given
every Reserve officer at Regular Army
hospital before he was ordered to active
duty
As to platoons and pontoons, any Re-
serve officer can tell Mr.. McLemore that
the Army does not use pontoons. 1t
uses pontons. If Mr.. McLemore will
drive out. to the Pacific Northwest on
his next trip to the hinterlands, he will
find a pontoon bridge across Lake WASH
! ington. The man who runs hot dog
stand at the far end of the bridge will
| undoubtedly be able to explain to him
the difference between a pontoon and a
ponton.
Does Mr.. McLemore believe the lawyer,
| the hay and grain dealer and the dental
| equipment manufacturer lack the intel
| lect and stability of character necessary
| in officer material? Does he know that
| the citizen who dons the leaves of
major in time Of emergency does so by
| virtue of World War experience or four
years of military training in college
| under Regular Army officers, plus some
| 500 hours of home study without pay
| subsequent to his original commission,
! plus such periods of active duty training
as appropriations have made available
| to him? Does he know that all of this
! training was conducted by officers of
| the Regular Army? Does he know that
the chief of staff G. H. O., in recent
! address which was released for publi-
| cation, stated in substance that while
| the work of Reserve officers was a little
rough, as was to be expected due to their
| lack of experience, they were applying
! themselves whole-heartedly to the work
| to be done, and the results were gener-
ally good? If he knew these facts. he
is to be condemned for creating false
| impressions through omission. If he did
not know them, he is to be severly criti-
cized for not seeking all the facts before
starting to write.
What was Mr. McLemore's contribution
| 10 national defense during the piping
| days of peace? During those days when
the starry-eyed idealists led US to believe
| the international millennium was just
around the corner, the Reserve officer,
| the National Guard officer and the
| American Legionaire were the practical
| hard-heads who were unblinded to the
| possibilities of the future and had the
strength of their convictions to fight for
| an adequate military establishment in
| spite Of the gibes of fellow townsmen that
they loved to play soldier, and the name
| "jingoist" hurled at them by the radical
| pacifst. No sensible person will con-
tend that the Reserve officer can COM
mand troops with the f1nesSe OF the
| career officer He has made the most
of the means available to him to At
himself to face cold steel in time Of
emergency. Had the American tax
payer been willing to pay an extra 81
or 50 apiece each year to provide a
| Regular Army that would have con-
| tained adequate materiel and men for
| his training, and sufficient funds to pro-
vide him training each year, he would be
better officer today. During those
| days did Mr.. McLemore ever devote a
stroke of his agile pen to the education
of Mr.. Average Citizen in the practical
need OF an adequate military establish
| ment?
I question the veracity of Mr.. Nc
Lemore's inference that the Regular
Army officer feels pretty sore" because
he has to accept the Reserve officer as
his equal in knowledge and pay" The
! regular knows that $4,000 Regular Army
officers can't command 100000 men.
He knows that the Reserve officer was
civilian who was willing to take time
out from enriching himself to become
prepared to serve his country in time
of need. and due to his indoctrination
In high regard for service, he appreci-
ates this fact. He knows that many
Reserve officers accepted extended active
duty at financial sacrifice. The Regular
Army officer knows that he has a con-
tinuing military career with promotions,
while the Reserve officer will return to
| civilian status at the end of the emer-
gency, hoping some opportunist hasn't
grabbed his position or his professional
practice. He knows that he will receive
retirement pay, while the Reserve officer,
like any other civilian, must make in