The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-17
: Gle Gaecma 6imesl
= 8 !
. LICH
Army Specialists Corps
Still Official Orphan
Legislation Needed TO
Make II Permanent
New U. S. Secret Weapon
VIII Maize Axis Sorry
by RAY TUCKER

BY RAT TUCKER
WASHINGTON an off-the-
.record talk. Director Dwight r.
Davis recently explained the pur-
pose and function OF the U. s.
Army Specialists corps which he
heads At q banquet given by
that famous host. Andy" Rain
Of Minneapolis. the boss told
what his organization can con-
tribute toward winning the war.
The Asc admittedly got off to
q bad start, despite having Sec
Rotary Stmson and Chief of
Staff Marshall as It's chief root
ers. They pictured IL a. = me-
dunn which would enticc into
yeomanry persons who could
hold pens instead Of guns. there
by releasing youngsters for duty
1t the front. Regardless of re-
ports to the contrary. General
Davis force Is gradually, though
slowly. grabbing oldsters and fit
ting them into their places be-
hind the line. Now the ASC
needs legislation to make II a
permanent unit and give IL the
same pension and disqualification
privileges which the average
doughboy enjoys.
"A, III. present moment" de-
elared General Davis, I'VE are
neither in the army nor out OF
q. The day may come when one
Of my technicians. serving with
. tank corps In the Libyan des-
ert. may be tapped on the shoul-
der by the Western Union mes
senger and ordered to report to
his local draft board . few
weeks later.
1T il possibie--in fact. II has
happened-that ! had to consult
the civil service commission be-
fore I could promote a man for
courage and prowess under en-
envy fire. BY the time the csc.
finished its investigation there
was no battlefield and no sol
der TO be decorated"
The new body has been an Of
fetal orphan at the capital
Although stimson and Marshall
saw its potentialities, they did
noe dare buck the White House
on the issue. Now, thanks TO
the INSTRUMENTATION members
Of the senate and house military
and naval affairs committees.
the authors Of this novel unit
viii get the same chance as John
Ericsson and his Monitor dur
Ing the Civil war.
But" continued the philo-
sophical General Davis, the
Army Specialists corps Ia like
the Missouri mule. We have no
ancestry. we have no hope Of
posterity-but we will do the
dirty Job. Gentlemen and mules.
We thank YOU"
Some time ago tAug. IL, AZ.
this column revealed that the
United States had developed =
ssecret weapon" which might
change the whole character Of
and shorten the struggle. Ord
nance officers subsequently con-
firmed the announcement made
exclusively In this column.
The writer has seen this mys-
FERROUS thing" in operation. He
cannot. Of course. reveal It's de-
structive power because the un-
listed device will not reach vol
ume production for some months.
When II does. God help Hitler.
Hirohito and Mussolini.
This instrument tno better
descriptive term can be used
without revealing its character
istics) In more revolutionary than
American Flying Fortresses.
our finest and newest tanks or
our big guns. II will give
grand headache to the hostile
trio.
Gene TtInney. the literary and
military purist who used to be
Q pug tbut doesn't mention that
historical fact when the Shakes
pearean student In within ear
shot had dinner recently with
the grand old man Of the federal
trade com mission, Colonel
Charles II. March Of Litchfield.
MINI.
When the male guests had re-
tired 10 the library after oof-
Zee. Colonel March trotted out
box OF extra special cheroots
and handed them first TO Jack
Dempsey's lucky conqueror.
Gene shifted and recoiled. What
are those things In that box ?"
be asked
why" responded the lovsble
commissioner. "those are cigars
And let me tell you something
never learned TO enjoy life un-
I'll I began TO smoke.
The colonel is over 70 and he
took his first Whit two years
ago. But he could pass for a
man of 50. So Gene may be al
wrong.