Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-08-02
use AND ABUSE OF
TITLE GENERAL"
Some OF Absurd Uses to Which
honorable Appellation
Is Submitted.
MANY AMUSING INCIDENTS
Nearly Every Assistant in the Various
Departments at Washington Is
Burdcncd With the
Title.

IRON the washington Siif.
The American habit OF aiAXing mil
'itary. judicial and honorary titles to
men's names has often been f"acetiously
commented upon" remarked Il mem
Der OF from a northern state
to a Star man. but l think We nave
some Of the best samples of the in
'congruity that | know OF outside OF
Aeniucky right here in Washington.
III tell you of al amusing incident
that ts, 1t seemed amusing to the
sookers-on. If 1t was not to the %partici-
pants. 1t was at Il reception the other
night. at which were present many rep
resentatives OF the diplomatic. official.
army and navy circles. In Il corner
OK the room were half u dozen Of my
yellow workers in the house and some
army officers discussing army appro-
prfations. Two gentlemen joined US.
ana the usual introductions followed.
ono or the army officers happened to be
q major general. He is slightly deaf.
me man who was doing the introduce
ing turned to the general and said:
Genuine Meets Bogus.
General -. allow Inc to intro
duce to you General -"
The major general. whom we will
rail Genera Blank to distinguish him
lgnate as General Dash. shook hands
with the other chap, and. placing his
hand to his ear. said. inquiringly:
II didn't catch your name. general
General Dash reiterated tho
friendly interlocutor.
general with n puzzled expression up
m his face, Dash? don't recall such
. name In the army-Dash. did you
]ayf May l ask what army corps you
have or had the honor of serving In.
gcneral?'
Every man in the crowd wanted to
laugh. and 1t was with difficulty that
we restrained our smiles. Some one
pushed a glass of pungent punch I'M
aer the old generals nose. and at the
FAMILIAR and welcome odor the real
warrior Immediately forgot the titular
commander, for General Dash hap
pened to be one OF the assistant sec
!,efaries In one of the departments in
this city whose heads are designated
with the official title OF general And
Ytaac0 his appearance indicated an ago
u under middle life In the thirtics. tho
tncongruity was made the more evil
dent.
III Is the height OF absurdity to be-
StoW or to claim the title of general
In the instances OF assistant post
masters general. assistant solicitors
general. assistant attorneys general. or
any other OF the many assistant gem
erals fhat may be found scattered
around in the official departments i'm
washington held dow by men doing
OFFICIAL work in the civil branch of the
government. Yet. strange to say, not
only are these assistants addressed by
their clerical subordinates as general
out they are tnsistent upon being thus
addressed by those who may have off,
clal business with them.
Many Lady Generals"
I'm fact. l think 1t Is far fetched for
n heads OF these departments to be
addressed by the military title Of the
commander OF an army corps. and
while 1t nay be conceded by some for
ckhe sake of argument that such Il title
IL proper In the instance of the head
: nj b department. it is unquestionably
~ poor taste to bestow 1t upon a sub
ordinate official assistant. Members
: Of the house could with equal propriety
Hub themselves Judges because we
, nuke the laws.
"They say that every man is de-
: strous OF fame In n manner or an
other. Here Is a chance for some one
mnn to become famous. Let him. up
on receiving the appointment Of an
sAsslStaA.. general stick to plain Mr.
n his name will go down to poster
s1ty: not one Of them has yet done so.
1.-THE a~bSurdity OF the situation of
these department generals Is matched
lby the president generals that the fair
members of some OF the lady organizak
.9tons which hold their annual conven-
ssl0ns hcre turn loose upon us every
wear. The single title of either general
W -president' ought to be enough to
patisfy the craving OF the most exact
ing seeker OF titular fame. but when
It comes to combining these titles the
limit Il reached. particularly In apply
lng the title OF general to a woman.
president is more appropriate, of
OF incongruity to my congressional
mind"