The sun., 1903-06-27
"A CASE FOR A coURr.MARTlAL
REFLECTEONS on GEN. BROOkE
CALL FOR AN INQUIRY,
Says the ".Army and Navy Register
If Gen. Wood InsFtve1 the Article He
ShouId BE Tried. IL Says-If Not, Lieut..
Runcie Should BE Court.Martialleti.


WASHINGTON June 28-Under the title
"A Case for Investigation" the Army ana
Nary Register will print Tomorrow the
following editorial:
Certain prominent newspapers OF this
country have been discussing with Significant
persistency and emphasis the authorship
and inspiration OF an article which appeared
some months ago In a Leading monthly masa"
zine. The journals which have given eui.
torial consideration TO this subject nre OF
such position and their expressions are OF
such character that il is not possible to longer
ignore the situation or the people now made
the object of remark.
THE NEW YORK SUN has been the most
outspoken In It's demand for an ontctal IN
vsstiRation in some form OF the incldent
which originates in the preparation OF an ar
ticle critcising tien. John II. Brooke. U. D.
A. retired, for his administration OF anairs
in Cuba.
The name OF Lieut.. james E. Runcie.
U. s. A.. retired, was signed to this article.
and it Is Of record in the War Department.
that the production attracted the attention
OF the Washington authorities at the t'me Oh
the publication. The Department addressed
an inquiry to Lieut. Runcie. whose reply
seems to have satisfied the Government
that no further action was necessary VI
course it could not have then appeared.
as has since been repeatedly charged. NANNY
in THE NEW YORK SuN--and by other news
papers at different times with alternate de-
grees of certainty and contradiction-tha
Gen Leonar rd Wood. H. >. A.. was behind
the article had really inspired 1t and. In iact.
had revised it before its appearance.
The NEW YORK sun Is saying nearly every
day that Lieut. Runcie has declared on various
occasions to several persons OF repute that
he wrote the article in question attacking
Gen Brooke at the request OF Gen, Leonard
Wood himself. and that In personal corre-
spondence not by him intended for publica-
ton, Major (Lieut) Runcie has made the
same statement about Gen. Woods initiative.
Further, The sun claims to possess the
signed declaration OF more than one RESPONSE
BILE witness to whom Lieut.. Runcie has stated
at various times within the past two years
that he wrote the article at Gen Woods
request and that Gen. Wood knew its
contents.
Still further, THE SIN. in its periodical
editorials on the subject. claims to have
seen in Lieut.. Runcie's own handwriting
a statement to the effect that "he tRunciel
wrote the article at Woods request for
man whom Runcie never saw till Wood
brought him to him for the purpose. and has
never seen since. and that when Gen. Brooke's
demand for court martial of the author
was referred at President McKinley's di-
rection, to Gen. Wood at Havana. Wood
thereupon stated to Washington that his
understanding was that while Runcie had
written the attack he had not intended it to
be published as an article. but had given
it to friend Of his. to be used as the basis
of editorial comment in some newspaper.
All this is specific. 1t is a charge pub
licly made. and one or the other off1cer con-
cerned should feel bound to require an official
Investigation. The NEW YORK Sun vouchcs
tlN fhat,t t,.,tt,. nlla
tons which it is circulating industriously
against Gen. Wood or Lieut. Runcie. 1t is
not going too far to say that the real stua-
ton. whatever it may be. justifies the trial
by co,irt-martial Of one the other officer.
If Gen Wood inspired an article which criti-
cised Gen Brooke. he has seriously offended
the principles of military discipline and
courtesy, and we are not certain that Gen.
Woods culpability might not involve Lieut.
Runcie for his agency in the matter II.
on the other hand. no such completely ex-
listed between Gen. Wood and the author OF
the article. then the latter offlcer. who is
still in the military service. although not on
the active list should be court-martialled
for circulating n nalevolent .falsehood. 1t
is to the interest Of the innocent officer, who
ever he ia. that he demand the inv esti cation
and that this action be taken without much
further delay.
Lieut. Runcle is in Cuba and Gen. Wood is
less accessible at the present moment being
en- route to the Philippines. The former of.lcer
has maintained an impressive silence 80 far
as is known officially, although. according to
THE Sun, he has been actively engaged in
talking and writing about this alleged part
nership between himself and Gen. Wood for
the defamation of Gen. Brookes administra-
tion in Cuba, Army and navy officers who
stand accused in the public prints or else
where are usually prompt to demand an in
quiry. a request which is not always complied
with especially when the charges are OBJ
viousy absurd or too paltry for serious at
tention.
The allegations now repeatedly made
against Gcn. Wood or Lieut. Runce do not
come within this immunity They are made
in definite and specific form and come from
reputable sources which would hardly lend
themselves to perpetrating unwarrantable
sensations II neither Gen. Wood nor Lieut..
Runcie chooses to ask for the investigation.
it will be iustifable. not to say necessary, for
the President to afford an adequate reply
to the accusations. This might be done on
the ground that the turmoil raised by THE
NEW YORK Sun and other pa pers is creating
an unfavorable impression throughout the
country. The sooner We have a refutation OF
these charges the better. II either officer
has offended he should be punished.
TAMMANY CONVENTIONS.