ance of R. O. T. C. units, the mission of which, as defined by the War Department is "to provide systematic military training at civil educational institutions for the purpose of qualifying selected students of such institutions for appointment as Reserve officers in the military forces of the United States;"

Whereas, the training of such Reserve officers is essential to the military program of the United States in accord with the provisions of the Defense Act of 1916, as amended;

Whereas, R. O. T. C. training in civil educational institutions has proved its efficiency and value in the physical, mental, and moral upbuilding of Reserve officers;

Whereas, civil educational institutions are actually training some 4,500 competent Reserve officers per year for the military forces of the United States;

Whereas, funds appropriated to the War Department for the support of R. O. T. C. units are not adequate to provide for training of the 7,000 Reserve officers per year needed to complete the military program of the United States;

Be It Resolved: That the National Council of the Reserve Officers' Association endorse the R. O. T. C. training now being carried on at civil educational institutions;

Be It Further Resolved: That civil educational institutions, especially the larger high schools, be encouraged to organize cadet corps for the purpose of extending the physical, mental, moral and citizenship training that is now being developed in existing R. O. T. C. units and also materially to supplement the R. O. T. C. training now conducted under War Department supervision.

Support of Citizens' Military

Training Camps

Resolved, that it is the sense of the National Council of the Reserve Officers' Association of the United States that, as the Citizens' Military Training Camps

conducted by the War Department represent one of the most important mediums for the inculcation of the sound principles of responsible citizenship and for physical, mental and moral development in the youth of our nation it is incumbent upon all that every effort be made to inform all citizens of the true purpose and real value of these camps, and that all Reserve officers render unstinted support to the corps area commanders in the matter of informing young men of the advantages of the camps and of securing their attendance thereat.

Congressional Appropriation for
Organized Reserves

Whereas, Organized Reserve units in order to provide for the National defense in an emergency must possess the efficiency required to fulfill their mission; and both personnel and funds now available for the purpose are inadequate ;

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the National Council of the Reserve Officers' Association, that the total sums appropriated annually by Congress should be sufficient to permit the Army, including its three components, to be adequately prepared to fulfill its mission.

That the amounts of funds appropriated by Congress for the Organized Reserves should be increased annually until within five years the annual appropriation for the Organized Reserves shall be sufficient to permit the establishment and maintenance of the efficiency of all the units thereof as required by their missions; and

That specifically for the fiscal year 1925 the sum covered in the War Department estimates for the Organized Reserves as may be prepared under the limitations of the Budget, should be increased to $6.000,000.

Appreciation of the Regular Army Whereas it is the established policy and practice of the War Department to further in every possible way the complete amalgamation of the components of

the Army of the United States, fostering in all the essential military virtues of comradeship, teamwork and mutual understanding.

Be It Resolved, that we record our high appreciation of the efficient help that the personnel of the Regular Army has given in the organization and advancement of the citizen components of the Army of the United States; and our confident belief that the War Department will continue to aid, to the full entent of the means at its disposal, the development of the citizen forces. Development of Unit Efficiency in Organized Reserves

Whereas, such organizations as are required by the National Defense Act to form the basis for complete and immediate mobilization for the national defense have been designated and distributed among the three components of the Army of the United States;

Whereas, those organizations assigned the Organized Reserves are practically complete in commissioned personnel;

Whereas, the mission of the Organized Reserves is to so train units of its peace establishment that the combat units will be able to promptly expand to efficient war strength during the mobilization period.

Whereas, is is understood that basic mobilization plans have been drawn and the mobilization mission of the Reserve units are now determinable and these plans contemplate Reserve units who will be able to fulfill the missions assigned.

Be It Resolved, that the National Council of the Reserve Officers' Association enjoin all Reserve officers, especially those commanding units, to lend every possible aid in the preparation, conduct, and participation in unit training schedules to the end that an esprit will be built up in each unit and that such efficiency as may be required by the mobilization mission shall be established and maintained.

In 1925 but 609,910 World War veterans of draft age will be available for service in the event of an emergency.

Of every dollar paid by the average citizen for governmental purposes 48 cents goes for city taxes (this is based on the expenditures of 21 of the largest cities); 42 cents for federal taxes and 10 cents for state taxes. Of the amount paid for federal taxes but 6 cents goes for national defense and the Army gets but 21⁄2 cents of this. In other words, we spend for national defense but 6 per cent of all taxes paid, and of this 6 per cent but 2 per cent goes for maintenance of the Army including its civilian components.

T

HERE has recently been created a section of the General Staff known as the Reserve Section. For interior administrative purposes it is designated as M. I. 8, G-2, War Department, General Staff. It is located in room 398, State, War and Navy Building. In general its functions are:

The promotion of the interests of the Organized Reserves.

To gain and maintain contacts with organizations and individuals of the Organized Reserves and Officers' Reserve Corps and with those sub-divisions of the War Department more vitally interested in reserve matters.

To handle such general correspondence pertaining to the Organized Reserves as may be referred to the General Staff where such correspondence does not per

tain specifically to some other sub-division.

To advise officers in the War Department on matters relating to the Reserves.

It serves as a general information office where reserve officers and citizens interested in reserve affairs may be put in touch with the proper officials or section whose duty it is to handle the question involved. It is intended to let reserve officers understand their interests are being given due consideration by the General Staff.

In general it endeavors to supply the lack of a central War Department agency to handle reserve matters, where these do not pertain specifically to some other sub-division or branch.

It is hoped that every reserve officer

who visits Washington will make this section his headquarters and that he will acquaint the personnel serving therein with the status of reserve matters in his locality and offer such suggestions as are thought will be beneficial in furthering the reserve idea.

Reserve officers who visit or communicate with the section are assured of a cordial welcome and that prompt attention will be given such matters as may be presented by them.

It is intended that there be an equal number of Regular and Reserve officers on duty in the section at all times. At present its affairs are being handled by Lieut. Colonel Fred B. Ryons, G. S., O. R. C., and Major Walter O. Boswell, G. S.

duction and will know the terms and conditions of his contract, and he can put his machines into motion as soon as the word is given.

The ability of a nation to make war depends to a very large extent on its control over certain essential raw materials: While a nation can often obtain raw materials from its allies as friendly neutrals, from the standpoint of national defense it is much more desirable for a nation to have sources of supply within its own borders. In this respect the United States is better equipped than any other nation, but there are certain critical materials which we do not produce and which would have to be obtained from foreign markets. This matter is given careful consideration in the Office of the Assistant Secretary. The general policy is to enlist the interest of civilian experts, and

thus obtain advice from four men who are in intimate touch with the latest developments of trade and com

merce.

Colonel Arthur S. Dwight, late president of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurigical Engineers, has undertaken the study of certain critical minerals with the aid of committees which are appointed by the Institute.

In addition to the contacts which the Assistant Secretary establishes with technical and trade societies, the various services get in touch with such civilian agencies as may be able to assist them in certain particular problems. For example, the Ordnance Department has established liaisons with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

In the last war it was found that

Page Eleven

in some localities there was a surplus of power and in other places there was a shortage of power. This can only be prevented by having a survey made of the power conditions throughout the country. The information obtained from such a survey will enable the services to place orders in such a way as not to overtax the power facilities of any one locality. Such information is also necessary in order to locate, to best advantage, any new facilities which may be required for war work. Such a power survey is now being undertaken by the Corps of Engineers under the auspices of the National Electric Light Association. The plans for this power survey were made by Mr. Darlington and General Keller who were members of the Power Committee in the last war.

practical training on duty with troops is necessary.

To take advantage of the time reserve officers may be able to devote to training on an inactive duty status, training schedules for each unit should be prepared, covering a year, leading up to a final phase to be conducted in a period of training of the unit on active duty. Such a schedule should be prepared and conducted to harmonize with the time and convenience of the officers of the unit.

To develop fully such schedules of training requires more personnel and funds than are now available. A trained regular officer with suitable qualifications and at least one enlisted

assistant must be stationed at permanently established headquarters of each reserve regiment to take charge of the continuing duties connected with its administration and training. Until a sufficient force for the purpose is available, in many cases, one regular officer will have to be assigned to duty with several reserve units. Under these circumstances, reserve officers commanding units should take active control of their units and devote as much effort as they can towards making them efficient.

At each established reserve headcuarters there should be operated a circulating library from which texts

Page Ten

are supplied to the individual reserve officer as required by him for use in training. Such texts should include Army Regulations, Training Regulations, Technical Regulations, General Orders of the War Department and other War Department publications, publications of service schools, and books of general military interest. As funds are available, the required texts should be furnished in such number as to avoid the necessity of purchase by individual officers pursuing correspondence courses. The Training Regulation when completed and published will form the basis of all training and instruction.

WAR DEPARTMENT

RECRUITING PUBLICITY BUREAU
GOVERNORS ISLAND, N. Y.
OFFICIAL BUSINESS

N

PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE, $300.

I

By

N 1921 the 67th Congress passed an act "to provide a national budget system and an independent audit of government accounts and for other purposes." The passing of this act and its being made effective was indeed, as the President remarked in an address on June 18, 1923, an "epoch in the administration of public business."

Prior to the passage of the "Budget and Accounting Act" no real enactment of Congress had been made, viewing the Government business as a whole or with any idea of coordination between the various Governmental departments dependent upon Congressional appropriations for support or maintenance. Usually each department of the Government converted its needs and desires into money value in the form of an estimate and transmitted the same through the Secretary of the Treasury to Congress.

As a rule, painstaking attention was not given by the heads of departments to the amounts, sufficiency and insufficiency thereof and fictitiousness of the estimates It was well understood that supplemental or efficiency estimates could be submitted to cover emergencies, errors or failure to include items in the original estimates. These estimates after reaching Congress were routed to the various committees concerned for the preparation of drafts of law or laws to grant or deny the requests for funds.

Each Congressional committee worked independently of the other and one chairman was not particularly concerned with what another committee was doing in the way of preparing the necessary legislation out of which the appropriations grew.

The Budget and Accounting Act terminated this procedure. It definitely named and placed upon the President of the United States the chairmanship of the business organization of the Government.

After two years of operation the business of the Government under this Act is being carefully coordinated and is daily improving in efficiency.

The Government itself, and the War Department in particular, was indeed fortunate in having as the first "Director of the Bureau of the Budget," Brigadier General Charles G. Dawes, a gentleman of wide financial experience and a veteran of the World War. This official initiated, organized and established his office from its inception. He was succeeded by Brigadier General H. M. Lord, U.S.A., Ret'd., the then head of the Financial Department of the Army and the budget officer of the War Department. General Lord is an officer of wide experience, thorough

Resume of Purely Military Items Contained in the Most Recent

Army Appropriation Act

ly skilled in all Government fiscal matters and particularly conversant with the War Department financial procedure. Under the leadership of the President these two officials with the slogan, “Efficiency with Economy," succeeded in getting practical results and placed Governmental financial affairs on a sound basis.

While the shoe of economy has pinched and rubbed since the Budget Act became effective, the War Department has taken the lead and has accepted in good grace the hard knocks given it by the results of operating under the Act.

A brief account of the machinery employed by the War Department in its operation under the Budget and Accounting Act is furnished with the hope that it will be of interest to all officers, Regular, National Guard and Reserve.

The President of the United States expresses a desire to the Director of the Budget that the estimates for the coming fiscal year should not exceed a stipulated In arriving at this figure he is naturally influenced by the estimated income of the Government as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury.

sum.

The Director of the Bureau of the Budget calls on the War Department for a tentative estimate of its requirements to be submitted not later than August 1st, and this tentative estimate must necessarily conform with the policy announced by the President at the business meeting. This call is then transmitted to the chiefs of the estimating services with a copy of the military program based upon the laws that are in force with reference to the Army of the United States and the policies that have been worked out in regard thereto by the General Staff.

On application of the budget officer of the War Department, after receipt by him of the service estimates, a board is appointed to function directly under the budget officer of the War Department, to examine, revise and recommend to that officer those items on the estimates which should or should not be included in his report to the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of War. This board conducts hearings on the estimates submitted, going into great detail. It endeavors to avoid duplication, eliminates unnecessary expenditures and gives priority to projects to be accomplished and things to be done with the funds in question.

The report of the budget officer of the

War Department is then reviewed by the Advisory Council on Legislation which now consists of the Deputy Chief of Staff, the Assistant Chiefs of Staff, the budget officer of the War Department and a representative of the Judge Advocate General's office. This Council passes upon the report of the budget officer of the War Department, item by item, and makes the necessary "cuts" or transfers as the exigencies of the service may demand. Its recommendations are then made to the Chief of Staff to aid him in advising the Secretary of War as to the action that should be taken by the Secretary of War on the budge estimate as submitted to him by the budget officer of the War Department. Upon approval of the Secretary of War the estimates are forwarded to the Director of the Bureau of the Budget whose duty it is to fit the War Department spoke into the Government financial wheel. The compiled budget is then submitted to the President who transmits it to Congress. There the estimates are divided among the various appropriation sub-committees, the War Department estimates going to one sub-committee, the Navy Department estimates to another, and so on. Each sub-committee conducts its investigation by means of public hearings. The work is then translated into a completed whole by the appropriation committee and is finally passed upon by both houses of Congress in the form of appropriation

measures.

Since the Budget and Accounting Act came into existence, business meetings have been held every six months by the Cabinet, the President presiding. Through these meetings the desires, instructions and aspiration of the President as pertains to the budget are communicated to the department and bureau chiefs and from them to the individuals who actually prepare and compile the figures themselves.

The President has given his unqualified support to the budget since its inception. Throughout the entire procedure he and his cabinet take an active and personal interest.

It might be said the Budget and Accounting Act operates the greatest business organization in the world. It must do the "thousand and one" things considered necessary in the actual operation of the greatest organization doing business under the firm name of the United States of America.

The budget has been given a trial. It is no longer experimental; it is businesslike and effective; it is worth while,