Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-09-23
General Corbin States That He Com
mands the District Guard.
STATUS NOT CHANGED BY THE WAR
Judge Advocate General Lieber's
Opinion Has No Force.
SIGNIFICANT MEMORANDUM

Despite outside individual opinions to the
contrary, it is fact that the President and
the officials of the War Department con-
slider Gen. Harries, and no one else, as ''the
commanding general of the militia of the
District of Columbia This is clearly indi-
Gated in the case of Capt Dapray, who, as
stated in yesterdays Star, has been as
signed to temporary duty with the District
| militia.
The official order in that case is as fol-
lows:
Special Orders, No. 224.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
"Adjutant Generals Office,
WASHINGTON, September D. 1898.
Extract
'3S. By direction of the acting secretary
of war, Capt. John A. Dapray, 23d United
once to the commanding general of the mil
itia of the District of Columbia for tenn
pcrary duty herewith
by command of Maj. Gen. Miles:
III. c. CORBIN, Adjt. Gen.
The above order was prepared in the ad-
jutant generals office in the usual form,
emitting the name of the commanding gen.
eral. 1t was based, however, on a memor-
andum to the adjutant general signed by
Acting Secretary Meiklejohn, reading: .D-
rect that Capt. John A. Dapray, 23d In
fantry, report Immediately to Gen. Harries,
District of Columbia militia, until further
orders.
The Memorandum Significant.
The wording of this memorandum is sig
nificant in referring to Gen. Harries, Dis
trict of Columbia militia inasmuch as
Gen. Harries' only connection with the
District militia is as Drigadier general COM
| manding.
Moreover. the detail of Capt. Dapray was
made at the direct instance of Gen. Har-
a1 i,,r,
Miles and Acting Secretary Meiklejohn.
The written application to that end was
indorsed approved" by both of them.
In anticipation of the probability that the
opponents of Gen. HarrieS would make a
point over the absence of the name of Har-
rles in the Dapray order. a Star reporter
showed the order to Adjutant General Cor
bin, whose office makes him an authority
on the subject, and put the question direct
to him:
General, this order directs Capt. Da-
pray to report to the commanding general
of the District militia. Who is the COM
manding general?'
Gen. Cerbin's Statement.
Gen. Harries. of course responded Gen.
Corbin, with deliberation and emphasis
"IIe has never been relieved from the Of
| flee of commanding general nor has he re-
signed, and SO far as l am aware his
status in the District militia has not been
the volunteer army
Gen. Corbin refused to discuss the matter
further. 1t was learned from another
source, however, that the opinion of the
judge advocate general of the army that
the officers of the District Regiment of
Volunteers had vacated their offices in the
District militia has been disapproved by
President Mckinley, and consequently has
no binding force on the question of Gen.
Harries status in the National Guard
Mr. MefklefOhu Reffceuf
Acting Secretary Meiklejohn refuses to
discuss the question of General Harries'
status in the District militia, and confines
himself to the statement that no action has
yet been taken by the War Department on
the question submitted by the Secretary of
the Navy as to the legal right of General
Harries to nominate officers for the naval
battalion. He says he has scrupulousy
avoided committing himself upon the ques-
ton of General Harries title to the office
of commanding general of the District mill
tia, and that there is no ground for the as
sumption that he has determined that ques-
ton in the negative.