Farewell!

Preparations have been made for radiocasting from the War Department at Washington, at 10:30 P. M. on Sept. 12, General Pershing's speech of farewell, marking the closing minutes of his service in the Army and the celebration of Defense Day. The number of possible hearers will greatly contrast with the handful of officers and men who heard Washington's farewell at Rocky Point, N. J., almost a century and a half ago.

General Pershing's rank and full pay will go from him. He now receives $13,500 in pay and $8,000 in allowances--$21,500 in all. After his retirement he will receive $10,125 in pay and no allowances. This is due to the failure of Congress to give him the rank and pay of a General for life. In Washington, there is some dissatisfaction with this failure of Congress, because General Pershing is well equipped physically to continue in active service; and because, by contrast, George Dewey was made an Admiral of the Navy with full pay for life.

When General Pershing steps down from his post as Chief of Staff, Major General John Leonard Hines will step up. But it will be a short step. General Hines is already Deputy Chief of Staff, and acts as the military head of the Army during General Pershing's absences from Washington. His temporary job merely becomes permanent. Incidentally, the change will bring to the highest post in the Army a War-made officer, whose rise in rank was extremely rapid. In 1917, General Hines was a major in the regular Army. He had been graduated almost 26 years earlier from West Point. His most prominent post had been as Adjutant General of the "Punitive Expedition" to Mexico in 1916.

When he entered the War he went abroad on General Pershing's staff. In the Fall of 1917, he was made a temporary Colonel and given command of the 16th Infantry. Six months later he was made a Brigadier. Three months later he was given command of a division. Two months more found him a Corps Commander and a Major General.

Since General James G. Harboard's retirement in December, 1922, General Hines has been Deputy Chief of Staff. He is now 56 years old, and has eight years to serve before he must be automatically retired on account of age. Secretary of War Weeks and President Coolidge agreed on him as the logical successor to General Pershing.