New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-22
MAJOR BALCH NOT A NAfifh.
HE WAS RELIEVED FROM DUTY AT hi'
OWN REQUEST

rr WAS RELIEVED FROM DUTY AT his
OWN REQUEST.
,Ihar, net q (SpeciaD.-The order relieving
,to,or Iouis Balch from duty with the loIh BAT
talion Is still being discussed in National Guar'
circles and the members OF the stan NJ hesoq""'
ters have heard much talk since inc oroe' ~
issued abou. the suppression OF free speech III 'ho
National Guard The report has been industrio"s'y
circulated that Major Batch was relieved from
r,v hecauso he published his Views on the subject
~ reorCa nizaton OF the State troops. and mas
much as the order was issued Few DAYS atter w"
article on the subject was published the report WAS
generally credited. The matter was considered 100
trivial 10 he discussed by the Acknowledgement OF
his assistants but In view Of the fact that the re-
norris have placed the Department In ia'se posi-
lion Colonel Phisterer, Assistant Adjutant-'ren-
ersi gave the true version OF the case TO Trioun"
reporter.
What Major Balch wrote was not worthy of
serious consideration" ne said. and was surrey not
the cause Of his recall from duty Oil the stan OF the
10Th Battalion Recommendations for the improve
men, Of the Guard are always In order, ana pros
ross can only be made by interchange OF opinions
on that subjec,. There l. hardly q month IN me
year that Sme ocep m .ns for the im
nroveineni OF the service, and these sussestions
heard OF an officer being disciplined for making
such suggestions. Among the recent writer's on
such sur ects were Major Godfrey. Lieutenant Hi
Iieutenant strong Major knight and many others.
OF course. II is taken for granted that IN articles
NJ mat kind the writer will be decent and not In.
bulge in criticism of his superiors The National
Guard is not different from the United states Army
IN that mint and every good officer knows that
suggestions for its Improvement are always well
come when they are made In the PROPER way -
'In the case 0! Major Balcl. what lie said was
unimuOrtant and not RENAL katic TOT originality,
snd would have attracted little attention II his d.
tachmen, from the 10Th Battalion had not followed
80 closely upon its publication. lie Was relieved at
his own request and il the papers had nOt been
delavel he would have ceased to be an active MEM
her OF the Third Brigade several days before his
6rst paper was published. Surgeon-Gencra. Terry
wrote from his headquarters or october z. asking
that Major Balch be transferred from IN" stan OF
The lO,h battalion and assigned to the Surgeon-Gen-
erals department TO await ordeis This letter was
addressed To the Adjutant-Gencrd personally. ana
consequently net opened for some days. me
/ General being absent. II 1t had come under thu
I proper address he would have been relieved befofs
his article appear ID. on October 10. When a second
/ eiter came from General Terry no time was lost IN
! referring the matter TO General Oliver and Major
/ Stacncle No one could he found TO enter any OBJ
iec,ions to Major Balchs request. and IL was
granted as quickly possible That Is the history
! OF the case and newspaper stories had nothing 10
do with the matter -,
| The statemen tha; Major Balch had been dis.
graced Is untrue and without foundation AS a
! supcrnumersry officer he was assigned to the lott
battalion and that order has simply been revoked
| al his request.