The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-07-13
GENERAL MACARTHUR WILL PROB
ABLY BE THE NEXT CHIEF
OF STAFF.
eted Position for Five
Months.

the coming OF IelleTdlS CHdIIee anu
Macarthur has brought out much talk
iabout the coveted position of head of
the American army, now occupied by
General Chaffee, who is one of the Of
Ulcers to visit the encampment here.
The coming of General Macarthur, who
is likely to be disappointed in his am
bition: adds new interest to the sub
ject.
! 1t is generally believed in army cir
cles that Major General Henry c. Cor
bin, adjutant general Of the army. and
lately assigned to duty in the Philip
pines, will succeed General Chaffee as
lieutenant general and, chief of staff
| when the latter retires on April IA.
1906. Had Mckinley lived. Corbin
would no doubt today hold the highest
office in the army, as he was McKin-
leys close friend, and the late president
had great respect for the ability of
General Corbin and was anxious to
do for h m what he could.
Corbin to Be RELOCATED.
Following the death of Mckinley it
was announced that Corbin would be
relegated to the background and would
never attain the end toward which
every army officer looks forward. 1t
was said that President Roosevelt, who
will unquestionably have the naming
Of the next lieutenant general, would
have none of Corbin, but would place
some other man at the head of the
army But this talk of hostility is dis
appearing, and it is now conceded that
General Corbin will become chief of
staff a year from next April. In the
meantime he will probably put in ac-
tive service in the Philippine islands.
General Corbin will retire on Sep
TENDER IS, 1906, so if he becomes chief
Of staff it will be for a short time
only, just five months. However, it
will be long enough to give him the
glory that goes with the position and
will round out his career in the way
he most desires.
Who Will Succeed Corbin?
Who will succeed Corbin? That
question opens up endless speculation.
and while it IS believed on every hand
that Leonard Wood will be appointed
chief of staff before the close of Roose-
velt's next administration, opinion diff
fers as to whether he will be appointed
Immediately upon Corbin's retirement,
or whether some other officer will hold
the office short time and then step
onto the retired list to make way for
Wood. Major General Macarthur.
who is now at the head Of the list of
major generals, and who by seniority
alone was considered, will probably
not become chief of staff. Macarthur
will not retire until June 2, 1909, three
months after the close Of Roosevelts
second administration, and if Roose-
welt should appoint Macarthur as chief
Of staff, he would not have the OPP
portunity of appointing Wood to this
position, and if the appointment went
over to the next president, there might
be some doubt about landing Wood at
the head of the army
Men Without a Chance.
Major General John c. Bates, who
ranks next to Macarthur, will proba-
bly, not become chief of staff, because
he retires April g. 1906, twelve days
after Chaffee retires. 1t is, Of course,
possible that the president would pro-
mote him to lieutenant general for this
brief period that he might retire with
highest donors. Such a promotion
would not interfere with COrbin. but
the president is said to be opposed to
promotion of this order, and it is
doubtful if Bates will be promoted be-
fore he retires.
Major General - D SuIiiliieI, tho
fourth ranking officer after Chaffee.
will retire in February, 1906. before
General Chaffee. For this reason it
will be impossible for him to become
chief of staff.
Major General G. l.. Gillespie, the
last of the major generals, retires Oc-
tober Z, 1905, and is therefore in the
class with Sumner.
The only remaining major general
besides Wood is James F. Wade, the
third on the present list. 1t is posi- |
BILE, and by some thought probable