Nai.] PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINING IN THE UNITED STATES ARMY. 59 



5. The Surgeon General urges the construction of these buildings as a war necessity, for the mental examination 

 of men before going to over-sea duty, and authority is therefore requested to proceed with the work. 



6. Return of the original papers to this office for its records is requested when action is taken. 



Geo. W. Goethals, 

 Acting Quartermaster General. 



This memorandum went to the equipment committee of the General Staff, which, after 

 consideration of the matter, recommended "disapproval of the construction of special buildings 

 until such time as funds may be made available for this construction by act of Congress." 

 Official notice of disapproval was sent to the Surgeon General, February 14, 1918. 



On receipt of this information it was learned through conference with War Department 

 officials that the equipment committee deemed it wholly feasible and desirable that psychological 

 examining be done in hospital buildings, as originally, instead of in buildings especially con- 

 structed for this purpose. This fact was presented to the Surgeon General who promptly 

 disapproved the continued use of hospital wards for psychological purposes on the ground that 

 they should at all times be available for medical purposes. Thereupon, in accordance with 

 the desires of the Surgeon General, the Chief of the Division of Psychology prepared for his 



signature the letter which follows : 



February 14, 1918. 

 From: The Surgeon General, U. S. Army. 

 To: The Adjutant General of the Army. 

 Subject: Expenditure for psychological building in each divisional training camp. 



1. Disapproval by Assistant Secretary of War, on recommendation of General Staff, of deficiency expenditure 

 amounting to $384,000 for psychology building in each National Army and National Guard camp, is acknowledged 

 with the following information: 



2. Reversal of decision of General Staff concerning plan for psychological examining and recommendation that 

 the work be conducted in base hospitals instead of in special building is evidently based upon serious misunderstanding 

 of requirements and relations of psychological work and practical availability of hospital space. 



3. The base hospital space, as extended by recent action, is provided and required for medical purposes. It 

 can not, in fairness to the health of the Army, be assigned permanently for psychological use. 



4. Temporary assignment of requisite base hospital space for psychological examining is, in the opinion of the 

 Medical Department, both undesirable and wasteful (1) because the conduct of said work in accordance with plan 

 originally approved and fully authorized by the Secretary of War will require special furnishing of two large hospital 

 wards (or one of the prospective two-story hospital buildings), this special furnishing as per specifications originally 

 submitted is in a large measure built in, consisting of benched tables nailed to floor, platforms, shelves, etc. ; (2) because 

 the cost of adequate and appropriate base hospital space would be at least $20,000 as contrasted with $12,000 expendi- 

 ture for special building. 



Obviously even should medical requirements permit it, it would not be economical to use base hospital space for 

 psychological use. Only dire necessity would, in the opinion of the Medical Department, justify the recommendation 

 of the General Staff that this extremely important new work be suspended until Congress authorizes necessary expendi- 

 ture for provision of special building. 



5. In accordance with authorization originally given by the Secretary of War the Division of Psychology, this office 

 has proceeded («) to secure personnel of 132 commissioned officers, 124 noncommissioned officers, and 620 enlisted 

 men; (6) to establish school for special training in military psychology at Medical Officers Training Camp, Fort Ogle- 

 thorpe, Ga. ; (c) to devise and perfect the necessary methods of work and to secure requisite apparatus and printed 

 materials for the examining of 500,000 soldiers. At the present time work along these several lines is well advanced. 

 Approximately 60 men have been commissioned for psychological service. Approximately 50 have been enlisted in 

 the same service. An enlisted company and also a commissioned company are in training at Fort Oglethorpe. A 

 large portion of the materials necessary for contemplated work has been requisitioned. 



Attention is called to the fact that the labors of the Division of Psychology and the expenditure thus far entailed 

 will be in a large measure wasted unless the essential features of the original plan of work are fully approved by the 

 War Department. 



6. Psychological examining was originally conducted at base hospitals in order thatits military and medical values 

 might be demonstrated to the satisfaction of line and medical officers. This was accomplished. There resulted 

 unqualified and enthusiastic approval and endorsement of this work by line and staff officers as well as by medical offi- 

 cers. On the basis of this endorsement (most strongly expressed by the War College Division of the General Staff in 

 memorandum for the Chief of Staff as follows: "The results of these examinations were very remarkable * * *. 

 This subject of Psychology in its relation to military efficiency is an entirely new one and the War College Division 

 approached it with a good deal t of doubt as to its value. A very thorough study of the reports submitted, however, 

 has firmly convinced us that this examination will be of great value in assisting in determining the possibilities of all 

 newly drafted men and all candidates for officers training camps") and of the unqualified approval of the Surgeon 

 General's plan for the extension of psychological work, the Division of Psychology has proceeded expeditiously and 



