The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-05-10

picks the man.
Head of OTIG today is Major
General Virgil l.. Peterson, a Ken
tuckian, a West Pointer, an en-
gineer officer eligible for retirement
who Is being continued in Office as
the acting inspector general. He
spends most of his time on the road
and in the field. He has probably
been in more Army camps, seen
more maneuvers than any man in
service. He doesn't write reports
but after an inspection calls UP OF
calls on the right commanding gen.
eral to get things fixed. His deputy,
Brigadier- General Philip Edward
Brown, received his original COM
mission in a World War I OCS,
transferred the regulars and stay
ed.
Headquarters for OTIG in Wash
ington are in four floors of an
apartment house that used to be
NYA headquarters away from
all the fuss of the Pentagon build
ing. 1t is perhaps the only War De-
partment Office in Washington that
does not require special pass and
an escort to get into.
In Baron Won Steuben's time the
inspector general was responsible
to congress. Today he is responsible
only to he secretary of war, the
| chief of staff and the deputy chief
OF staff, making inspections as they
direct and as the commanding gen.
erals of the Ground, Air and Serv-
ice Forces request. Washington off,
GERS of the inspector generals de-
partment report to no one else.
The inspectors general are COIL
sidered confidential agents and
what they do is supposed to be none
OF the publcs business.
I. G. FILES RECORD PLENTY
Work of the inspector generals
Office falls broadly in two main di-
visions-inspection and investiga-
ton. Some Of the best stories about
the Army are locked in the files
and special reports Of OTIG'S in
spectionS division. The inspectors
general have no command. They
are not in an operating agency.
They may investigate and recon-
mend remedial action, but they can
not order it.
Every letter of complaint that
goes to the secretary of war or the
chief of staff from a parent, a pri-
vate citizen doing business with the
War Department, state or local
public official, congressman or a
congressional committee usually
ends up in the hands of some in
Spector general. That is one phase
OF inspection. Another and more in
teresting job comes in special in
vestigations ordered by Secretary
Stimson, General Marshall, or his
deputy, Lieutenant General Nc
Narney.
What IS the truth about psyche
neurotics? What's the situation on
the induction of big name athletes?
How well is military justice admin
istered? How effectively is the labor
OF prisoners of war being used in
i this country? What are the facts on
discrimination against colore d
troops? How good is occupational
therapy and rehabilitation?
RACIAL, HEALTH ARE
SPECIAL PROBLEMS
| On these last two subjects-racial
and health problems, the inspector
general has two special aides, Major
General Howard MacSnyder of the
medical corps and Brigadier- Gen.
eral Benjamin c. Davis, West
Pointer and only colored general
officer in the Army.
There is an executive officer, Col
onel John o. Lawrence and under
the deputy inspector general there
Is a deputy's group of two officers
for special investigations.
This is the framework of the top
organization for keeping the secre-
tary Of war and the chief of staff
informed on the state of the Army.
It is not all like the German gen.
eral STATS iron-flsted division of in
spectors general. but as an Army is
apt to be no better than its in
spectors general, a look at how the
ONCE functions will be given next.