The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-28
Ranking Officers of Adjutant Gen
erals Department Resent His
Recent Order.
RECOGNIZED INFERIOR RANK.
Assigned Brigadier General Carter
TO Duty, in Absence of Head of
Department, Over Both
BabcOck and Hall.


REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
Washington, July 27.-When Secretary
Root returns to Washington from his sum.
mer vacation he will find that his action in
assigning Brigadisr General VIM. II. Carter
to duty as Acting Adjutant General has
stirred up the liveliest kind of opposition
Within the next few weeks the two rank
ing officers of the Adjutant Generals de-
partment will be in Washington, and Il
will not surprise their friends should they
only perform duty at the War Department
under strong protest.
These Officers are Colonel John Babcock.
who has been ordered to serve as Adjutant
General of army headquarters. and Colonel
VIM. p. Hall. who mas been ordered home
from Manila to act as principal assistant
to Adjutant General Corbin. Colonel Hall is
a son-in-law Of Senator Blackburn Of Ken
lucky. and Colonel Babcoek also has infiu-
entisl friends.
Roots Objectionable Orders
In order. it is alleged. 10 limit as much as
possible the connection of Lieutenant Gen
eral Miles with army business. Secretary
Root issued, on May - last. an order di-
recting that each chief Of a bureau should
report TO the Secretary Of War, when he
has authority TO be absent, the name Of
lDG OlllCCI WHO Wal lEhc tLl6Ik kt OI MS u
flee.
The effect OF this WIS TO prevent Colonel
Thomas Ward, then Adjutant General Of
army headquarters. from acting as Adju-
tant General This order will continue to
apply in Colonel Babcock's case, so that.
though the senior officer of the Adjutant
Generals department on duty at the depart
ment and army headquarters, he can never
designated by General Corbin.
This order further stated that, during the
authorized absence of the chief Of any bu-
reau OF the War Department the senior
officer Of the department or corps, whose
chief IS absent on duty in said bureau, is,
by direction of the President. empowered
to take charge thereof and perform the
duties OF the chief of the department or
corps. as the case may be. during such alb
sence."
Under this order, Lieutenant Colonel
George Andrews. at present the senior As
sistant Adtutant General at the department.
would have acted as Adjutsnt General when
General Corbin left the city, but the sec
Tetary, II is claimed. pushed aside this or
der when he authorized Brigadier General
Carter to act as Adjutant General.
To serve Under O6icer They Rank.
When Colonels Babccck and Hall assume
duty in Washington, they viii have to serve
under an officer Of the line. designated as
the chief Of their corps. who. until a month
ago, was their Junior. II is claimed that
this is subversive Of discipline and should
not be allowed.
Concerning Brisadier General Carters ss-
signment TO the position OF Acting Adtu-
tant General. this explanation has been
made by department official:
General Carter has been the right hand
man Of Secretary Root. and Of General Cor
hin. He understands the policy Of the sec-
retary and IS familiar with the way IN
which General Corbin transacts army busi-
ness. He has dealt particularly with the
lhrger questions Of army administration.
Lieutenant colonels Andrews. Simpson and
Mccain of the Adiutant Generals depart
Iaent, who are on duty in the War Depart
ment, arc all capable. efficient officers nut
they have concerned themselves with de-
tails and they would certainly suffer some
embarrassment at first in handling the i'm
portant questions which are being rone!d,
cred. and which General Carter Is thorough
ly familiar with
The army however docs not lose sight
o: the fact that an officer of the line is act
ing Adjutant General. and that this sup
ports General Corbins contention that he
serves IN a dual capacity-as Adjutant
General and as u Major General Of the Ina
and that this precedent will have a marked
effect upon General Corbin's candidacy for
the position OF Lieutenant Gensral when
General Miles retlres.