The War Department alone should not be relied upon and made responsible for the success of the Army in war. In peace times its status is necessarily one of inaction and such an organization, nor mally inert, can not of itself expand speedily to the full proportions necessary for meeting all Army needs in a war emergency and assure the country of protection. In time of war the War Department is expanded under great strain from a relatively small to the largest Government department. At such times other departments, particularly those having to do with internal affairs, are contracted and many of their activities practically suspended. As the Government has to utilize civilians to perform its construction work during war it is desirable to relieve the War Department from dangerous strain in war by having a peace-time construction organization which, being unhampered by military regulations, could work at maximum efficiency and in war could handle emergency construction speedily and effectively. A sufficient amount and variety of work to keep its personnel well trained would be provided under such a plan without enlarging the normal and proper scope of Federal activities. Observation indicates that satisfactory results in the war emergency construction have been accomplished largely by, and in degree proportionate to, the freeing of experienced constructors from control by Army officers. This leads to the conclusion that neither Military Academy training nor Army experience can of itself insure fitness or ability to handle construction work. (Section 45, page 275:) After full consideration the Board of Review finds that Government-construction work for public use should not be done by the War Department and that the execution of some of the construction now assigned by law to that department should be transferred to a civilian-construction bureau. CONSOLIDATION OF GOVERNMENT INSPECTION. (Section 47, page 281:) The Board of Review finds that the consolidation of Government inspection under one competent and thoroughly experienced bureau is most desirable. OFFICERS' RESERVE CORPS. (Section 48, page 282:) The Board of Review is of the opinion that the Officers' Reserve Corps members engaged on the emergencyconstruction work of the War Department could have rendered better service if the time available for their training had permitted giving them more instruction in Army-organization methods, relations and discipline, as many civilians, especially the older ones, entering the Army do not seem to grasp the need of conforming to its requirements. There also seems to be considerable room for improvement on the part of the officers of the Reserve Corps and those of the Regular Army, who represent respectively the civilian and military branches of engineering, in developing adaptability to the other's viewpoint. The board finds that the fullest encouragement should be given to the organization and development of the Officers' Reserve Corps in order to furnish military instruction to the constructors and engineers who may be needed for future emergency construction as well as for other work. (Section 3, page 26:) That, as the value of the Officers' Reserve Corps has been so conspicuously proven on war-construction work at home and overseas, and as, in time of war, the Nation must rely largely upon such a corps, its development and training should receive the fullest encouragement from the War Department. PART VI. EXHIBITS. EXHIBIT No. 1. List of projects built by the cantonment and construction divisions, with approximate estimated cost to June 30, 1919. [* Denotes projects on which the Construction Division had general supervision only, the work being in charge of a constructing officer detailed from the bureau of the War Department requiring the work, and no funds being transferred to the Construction Division. On projects marked the cost of land is included.] |