The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-06-12
HULL CLASH
Violent Talk Over Promotion
of Miles and COrbin.
BOTH INDUCED IN PERSONALITIES
After MIR. Lentz Had Assaulted Gen. Corbin
Mr. Lentz PertinentIy Inquired Abeut the
service of Mr. HILLS son in the Army
Mr.. Huil's Reference to hr. LeuTz BEING
Childish Brought on Werdy War.

service of Mr.. HILLS son IN the Army
MIR. Huii's II difference to MIR. LeuIz Being
Childish Breught on a Werdy War.
One Of the most violent debates Of the
session. degene-ating 10 personalities, oc-
Cured in the House Thursday. l. was be
tween Chairman Hull, Of the Committee
on Military Affairs, and Representative
Lentz. a member thereof, and grew out Of
consideration of tie proposed promotion
OF Gen. Miles and Gen. COrbin. \ riotous
scene marked the proceedings, and a great
deal OF feeling resulted. The gentlemen
clashed with more than usual spirit be-
cause Of the bitter controversy which
ragged between them during the Occur
d Alene mining investigation. and which
on one occasion threatened TO eliminate
with personal violence in the committee
room.
The debate had proceeded for some time
on the Senate amendments 10 the Military
Academy appropriation bill Among these
amendments were those affecting the rank
OF Gen. Miles and Gen. Corbin. Mr..
Lentz engaged in a running debate with
several members on different topics, and
finally branched into vigorous assault on
Gen. COrbin. He had hardly begun with
this attack before he was diverted to The
Occur dAlene troubles and TO a criticism
% the appointment of fifty additional ca
diets for West Point Fifty men fer
West Point" he exclaimed, in pOnderous
tones, "and the war is all over We have
committed enough theft down in Cuba. it
is true. if we had gotten it into the Treas
ury, to pay for all these military heroes
that We propose to create. But gentlemen
VINO are doing the stealing there are not
/ turning II into the public Treasury"
Arraigued the Military Committee.
Dir. Lentz then arraigned the Military
Committee for declining to take action
looking to the adoption of Senate reso-
luton TO print 1890 copies of the Occur
Alene investigation. 1t was, he said. an
other step in the direction of militarism.
MI. Lacey, of Iowa. asked Mr.. Luntz
| about the politics IF the governor of Idaho
ana Jeered him until he finally admitted
that he called himself a Democrat. But
ne said every Democrat on the Military
committee had signed report condemn
ing Gov. Steunen5erg AMI President Nc
j\lnley FOR 5iacklisting organized labor
Fifty cadets for West Point. Talk
about tie ice trust here to-day. Talk about
Gen Corbia,' continued Mr.. Lentz. Gen.
Corbin just at the last hour If the last
congress, when We sat up all night. was
lowering a"ound the corridors rere trying
20 have himself legisldted 4 major gen
eraL | would like to see some of these
men getting higher military fonors by
| fighting for il. | am tired OF having men
beg for military dcPrces | have nng
mucn respect for political teggars or ARM
UeGgars. \ major generalshu, the high
est place. the highest office we have IN
| the army to-day, 20 b given to a nan
| who sits in a bCmb-p"oof building and
| does nothing but act as the clerk for
| the PRESIDENT
| ''HandsOmc-ioOking Fellows
What do We have a commanding gen.
| eTal for? 1t is his place 10 direct the
movements of the army in war. Are these
men here simply 10 wear shoulder STRAPS
aud &C 20 good dinners and attend The
ineaters ard be handsome looking fellows
| for the benefit of the ladies' or are thay
| to fight? | am not in favor Of any staff
| Officer holding a higher title than briga-
| der general. Six thousand two hundred
| dollars a year, with the privilege OF re-
| firing at sixty-:Our or threc-fOurths pay
| is as much as any clerk in ihC War De
/ partment or any other deIdr.ment ought
| TO receive and the man who goes in on
| the staff ought 20 understand that he
| cannot nave he highest Office, even 10y
| legislation, Ard if thare * no way 6i
| limiting this Internal system of begging
| for promotion instead of liz ming for II. "
| need a constitutional amendment to limit
| the greed of the army officers. rather tran
: 20 limit the greed Of the trUG-s.'
/ The tension was very high while Mr.
/ Lentz had been speaking and every eye
was turned on Chairman Hull as he rose
| to reilly. He justified the action of the
| Military Committee in refusing to sane
| ton Of printing of 10000 copies of the re-
Fort on the Occur D'Alene investigation
end spoke caustcally of Mr.. Lentz. The
two had a pretty sharp c0llOquy on that
topic before Mr. Hull devoted his dtten-
! ton to the structures upon he office oil
Adjutant General of the Army
Chairman HuII'- Reply.
1.-The gentleman from Ohio is too ablt
a man." said Mr. Hull, to believe for on,
minute that the heads Of these Great staff
departments. and especially the Adjutan
Of the Army, is a mere clerksnip. HI
knows, and every other member Of th'
| House knows that the Adjutant Genera
Of the Army. if he discharges MS duty ef
fc:ently. should at least be one Of TIL
ablest military men in the country. He i
| virtually, under our present system, IN
chief of staff of the Secretary Of War
and through MIN, of the President; and u
| place of the present Adjutaat Genera
| haunting the corridors Of the Capitol dur
ing this session or last, asking Congress
10 give him a promotion, ] want TO 50!
that he certainly would have come 70 M
as chairman of the committee, II he ha'
been haunting the corridors. never ye
heard him in the Capitol Of the nation
ever asking me or any other member 0
Congress 20 give nim this promotion"
| rs II not q fact that he appointed son
~ members, end indirectly got their m
fuerce In that way" interpOsed Nj
He kas appointed good many stat
| officers" rej0ined Mr. Hull. The genue
man from ohio is evidently anxious I
get the fact before the country nat
have a son IN the army, VINO mas serve
| in the staff department az Manila Tia
! Is something / am very proud OF. / am %
lighted, MI Chairman, TO ADMIT % I'M
| House and 10 the country that ! have
son in the army He went and enliste
first with his own regiment, naViD
served IN the guard for ten years AMI q
commission by the votes Of his Ow
| Comrades for the rank Of captain. Lou
applause on the Republican side)
Promoted 10 Major ON the stan.
And. Mt Chairman. he vas promote
and is now major on the staff in the Phi
ippines. Renewed applause on the RI
/ publican siJeJ His regiment Is comm
home, and both myself and has goo
mother have Tried at the War Depdr
ment for the last I'VE months 10 geE hil
ordered home so that he could resume n
avocations Of peace, ard the testimOn
from several OF the generals who have n
J rorted. Gen. Wheeler among the OtLer
Is that his work there Was 20 good,
! Was so efficient in discharglng thu duh.
; | q his Office that they did not want
retire him. but further 20 advance bin
= loud applause on the Republican SIDE
Mr.. Chairman. / thank God / ba'
boys that can serve their country. Or
. newed and loud APPLAUSE 1 am proJ
E Of them.