The San Francisco call., 1903-12-06

Of WOOD IS
NULLIFIED
House Action Re-
duces Rank of
\ General.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-By the
manner of adjouFning the House to-
day the extra session OF the Fifty
eighth Congress will expire by con-
stitutional limitation on Monday.
when the regular session win begin.
This eliminates the possibility of the
President renewing his civil and mill
tary appointments. Such appoint
ments as have not been confirmed by
the Senate during the extra session
must be renewed simply in the form of
nominations, which, In effect, are but
recommendations. and do not become
effective in any case until confirmed BY
the Senate.
In effect, this action will reduce Gen
eral Leonard Wood from his present
rank OF major general, to which the
Senate has not confirmed him, to the
rank of brigadier general, which he
held prior to August 8 last. 1t also
will reduce in like manner 167 army
officers who were promoted to al the
vacancies caused by the promotion OF
General Wood.
DIR. CRUM LOSES POSITION.
Among the civil appointments affect
Collector OF Customs at Charleston, 5.
c. Crum is serving under a recess ap-
pointment. The effect Of the adjourn
ment is to vacate his position. Crum's
recess appointment has thus been ter
minated. AS the situation in the Sen
ate has been such that his confirma-
tion has been despaired of, the collect
orship Of the port of Charleston will
~, Fo Ion, r,r
the next session, unless the President
selects some one else for this place and
the nomination is confirmed by the
Senate.
While no official representation has
been made by the Senate to the House.
several informal conferences have
been held between the Republican Sen
ators ana Speaker Cannon. In these
the Speaker has said that the House
has no authority over executive ap-
pointments or combinations, and that
if the creation of a recess was neces-
sary to take care Of these matters the
Senate should have taken official ac-
ton looking to adjournment OF the
special session. In the absence OF such
a movement. the Speaker said. he could
not interfere in any way with the ex-
piration of the extra session by con-
stitutiOnal limitation.
MUST RENEW NOMINATIONS.
All of the new nominations, fnclud-
ing army and navy and civil appoint
ments, made by President Roosevelt
during the extra session, and which
have not been confirmed by the Sen
ate, will have to be renewed at the reg
ular session. 1t is expected that these
nominations will be retransmitted by
the President on Monday next
At the War Department the officials ,
are not quite clear in their minds as
to the exact status Of the military Off
cers whose nominations have failed OF
confirmation. There is a disposition to
take the point of view that between
the expiration Of the present session
and the beginning Of the regular ses-
sion. there viii necessarily be an an
preciable but small period Of time when
there is no session and during which
Congress is technically in recess. and
that it will be within the power Of the
President at any time after Monday
next to make recess appointments TO
continue during the session, unless 9TH
erwise disposed Of. The officials are
not united yet in their view upon this
point. but the new nominations which
are now being. made out at the War
Department to replace those which
lapsed are all to be dated as to the
time the vacancy occurred.
1t seems possible that the complex
questions involved may require the de-
cisiOn OF the Attorney General