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Show ARMY RESERVES IN GOOD SHAPE Pershing Forming Plans-for Plans-for Mobilizing in Case of Emergency WASHINGTON, May 1. With the organization pi the units of organlzod reserves won advanced, plans are I beginning to take shape In the wujr ilcpartmcnt for a definite war mobl-' mobl-' ligation scheme, according to a letter I I from General Pershing answering In-1 qulries of Colonel William Barclav 1 r 'arsons of New York City as to prog-! j ress being made with tho reserve system. sys-tem. "This will require plans for a- 1 sembllng and mobilizing every unit I of the army of tho United States," General Pershing said "and the solu-, tion of the .problem will require the assistance of practically every officer i of tho reserves. "I can assure you that for somej time I have been deeply concerned with the situation among reserve of-fj. of-fj. era resulting from the failure, un- I til recently, to give them a more defl-j nlto status and function In our scheme of defense." General Pershing I .v rote "nnd that since taking over tho i duties of the' chief of staff it has be m my constant endeavor to promote pro-mote reserve organization to that end." Rl 1 KI SMLK ( Ol KM s The work required a vast amount of preliminary effort. General Persh- ' Ing said, "and had been handicapped" handicap-ped" by shortage of "proper personnel." per-sonnel." "With a good start," made, the I chief of staff said, it was now pos-tl stole to give careful study to "In-! Struction and employment" of reserve officers, but he added- a if course in this we are limited by the action of congress in the matter mat-ter of appropriations and all of ouri plans must be made with reservations." reserva-tions." Referring to the plan for giving re- ' serve officers annually, If possible, "refresher courses" to keep them up to date, General Pershing said It was j hoped "that further appropriations' will ari.mll of assembling divisional! i and noh-dlvlslonal groups for a 15-.'i- period of instruction at least every ev-ery other year." while every third or fourth year such assemblies would j Vie holil If nosullili- in rem In net Inn with regular troops. FOR It 1 I Rl IT OFFICERS. "In this connection," he added, "there is one point of view that in:'.y not have occurred to you. namely: That while the present personnel of the reserve corps Is composed almost wholly of veteran officers who have had active service with troops, the young replacement officers who will i come into the corps will not have had ( sucr"; service and that some provision must be made wherepy the opportunity oppor-tunity will be afforded them We hope to make arrangements whereby they may be attached to units of the regular army and also of the national guard. If that can be arranged which. I they will Join for their annual train-ing." |