Evening star., 1942-03-01
New Specialist Corps Will Fill Arny|s Need
For Reservoir of Men to Back Up Troops
Enrolment in Unit
May Reach 500. 600;
AGE Won't Matter
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.

BY NELSON M. SHEPARD.
A new force of men in uniform
a militarized corps of civilian spe-
cialists in technical skills vital to
modern warfare-is about to be
formed to serve with American
fighting men at home and even
tually on far-flung foreign fronts.
Heading this new specialist corps
will be Dwight r. Davis, Secretary Of
War under President Coolidge.
whose immediate task Is to recruit
q great reservoir of business, pro-
fessional and labor technicians on
which the Army can draw as needed
and wherever needed.
The idea Is new to the United
States Army. but like some others
adopted to meet the exigencies Of
warfare that relies as much on in
dustry and science as on combatants,
this one was borrowed from the
Germans and British. No limit has
been placed on our Army specialist
corps. Officials said yesterday 1t
may contain upward to 100, 900 men
VI CtCll OOo,OOO, OCPCi1dAAiS oAA sAAS
demand for skilled services.
Special Uniform Planned.
A distinctive uniform is to be
adopted for this army Of specialists,
thousands of whom may be back
ing up the lines wherever the Amer
ican soldier is sent to hit the en-
emy. One of the first acts after
rules and regulations are adopted
will be to transfer the civilian en-
ployes of the War Department now
serving on foreign soil to the new
uniformed force. That is important
for their own protection. They
would then be entitled to the same
rights and privileges of soldiers If
they should be made prisoners Of
war.
The capture by the japanese since
December 7 of 1900 American civil
ians employed on defense projects of
Wake Island and Guam in the
Southwest Pacific operations, no
doubt hastened the decision of the
War Department to mobilize civilian
employees into uniforms. Of1icials
cited the plight Of those civilian
workers as an example.
The ink was hardly dry on the
executive order creating the Army
specialist corps before Mr.. Davis
had established himself in tempo
rary headquarters in the Munitions
Building. He may be given the rank
of lieutenant general as was William
S. Knudsen when he was appointed
in charge Of production and pro-
curement for the War Department.
That hasn't been decided. In fact.
the whole organization OF the new
specialist corps is in an embryo
form, waiting on the PRONUNCIATION
Of rules and regulations.
Authority Of Rank Needed.
Mr.. Knudsen was created a gen.
eral officer, not because he desired
a title but to give him the necessary
military authority to issue COM
mands and enforce them in deal
ing with other Army personnel. The
same kind of authority is essential
for Mr.. Davis, even though he may
not assume the military title.
Accordingly, the men In the spe-
cialist corps will be given military
status, except in certain cases, and
will draw pay comparable to the
duties each performs.
War Department officials said the
new unit would be conducted on
businesslike basis and would util-
ize the utmost existing facilities OF
the Army in the field and OF the
War Department in Washington.
They were eager to dispel any idea
that it is to be just another form
Of bureaucracy"
Flexibility in organization and
flexibility in rules governing med
ical examinations of appointees Is
to be the keynote Of the organiza-
ton.
Except in certain cases. appoint
ments will be made Of men over
the draft age. Military training or
knowledge won't be necessary. But
each man will be given the essen
tials of a basic training in mill
tary regulations and courtesy.
Made Up Of Many Types.
A corps Of specialists to serve on
active fronts or in administrative
duties on the domestic front would
be made up of many different types
of men. For this reason, an advan-
tage to the corps, will be the adapt
ability of the physical requirements
for entrance to the particular as