Page:Frank David Ely -Why defend the nation? Sound Americanism... (1924).pdf/50

46 ate units according to grade and to arm or branch of service. So there are infantry, cavalry, artillery, air service, chemical warfare service, signal, ordnance and quartermaster officers, adjutants, inspectors, judge advocates, etc., etc., down to the last unit. In addition there are a large number of officers holding what are called General and Branch assignments. The former will in event of war be employed directly under orders from the War Department on all kinds and classes of special and detached service, the need here being for a very large number of officers of various grades and qualifications; while the latter will be similarly employed directly under the orders of the chiefs of branches to which assigned. This provision for extra officers avoids any necessity of denuding the combat units of officers, and insures a surplus of trained officers to be drawn on in emergency, as to make up losses or to organize additional units.

In 1917 we were unable to immediately mobilize men to fill up the divisions, there being no officers available to receive, equip, and train them. It was necessary to first enroll, train, commission, and assign officers from raw material; and then the officers so made available were without war experience and of exceedingly limited training. If your own boy is going out to fight at his country’s call, he is entitled to leaders who know their business and who can instruct him, and who can really command whether in camp, in transport, or in battle. With the old system in vogue before the recent war, this was impossible. Now, if the present laws can be fully carried out, the boy can be sure of proper instruction and training before he actually meets the enemy.

Another advantage is that during peace time officers can be tested and assigned according to fitness and qualification. In the hurry and confusion of assignment after war is declared, a jeweler might find himself in a heavy bridge train of an engineer unit, and an automobile salesman in the signal corps; a lawyer who has no knowledge of horses other than seeing these on a Sunday in the parks might find himself in the cavalry, while a farmer, accustomed to horses all his life, might be assigned to a balloon unit. Thus was fitness sacrificed and time lost. The wisdom of the present plan for avoiding such