The National tribune., 1906-03-08
AT the time this law was passed no


the time that the Lieutenant-General
would naturally be the Chief of staff.
Up to this time that has been the case.
Eut the indications now are-and no
enc desires to curtail the power of the
President in this respect-that for the
next few years at least the Lieutenant
General of the Army, if the office shall
be continued. will have no power be
yond that which can be legitimately
exercised either by a Brigadicr or n
Major-General in charge of a Depart
ment and really subject to a junior.
who will be Chief of staff. and there
fore the head of the military establish
ment. and receive his orders from
Junior in grade and rank. l do not
that that is good military organiza-
ton"
Capt. Hull said that in time of war
it might sometimes be necessary to do
this thing, but not at such time as
this He then cited the fact that for
over 100 years this country had several
times honored great military leaders
by giving them the highest rank
known. that of Lieutenant-GeneraI.
these being George Washington. u. 5.
Grant w. 4. Sherman, p. II. Sheri-
dan, j. NJ. Schofeld and Nelson Miles
Congress in each instance reyiving and
comforting the rank. Then he said that
he could say without slander to any
body that the little war with Spain had
made more Lieutenant-Generals than
all the other wars that the Republic
had been engaged in. Chairman Hull
then declared that he. would like to see
the rank of Lieutenant-General abol-
ished. 1t had been created to honor
men VINO had done distinguished and
brillian: service for the country, and
1,
ferred upon men whose real rank was
often not above that of a Brigadier-
General, and whose services had been
official rather than military. He was
opposed to the Chief of Staff being
permitted to jump from a Junior rank
to the high one because of the title
of the office to which he was raised,
and then being retired with the rank
and title of that highest office when
he should often be several grades be-
low it in point of service and merit.
The discussion on the adjustment
Of the rank of Lieutenant-General as
sumed rather acrimonious proportions
al times. Gen. Grosvenor declared that
Chairman Hull was slandering the
Army in his reflections on the merits
of those advanced to Lieutenant-Gen-
eral on a word from the President
who now has the sole power to create
this highest rank-whereas the power
lay with Congress until the "Reorgan-
ization of the Army took place in
1901, when the rank was created per-
manently. and the power to appoint a
Lieutenant-General was placed in the
President Chairman Hull declared
that it was never intended that the
power should be used as ii had been,
to make superior officers out of those
of actual higher rank subject to the
orders Of The inferior officer. 1t was
an anamoly. The matter was not set
tied but the disposition of Congress
seems to be to abolish the office. Gen.
Corbin, who expects to become Lieu
tenant-General very soon, asks that he
be not assigned to Chief of Staff, as
the duties are not to his liking. He
desires to be made a Lieutenant Cen
eral and retired without performing the
duties of Chief of Staff. as the Reor-
ganization bill designed should be done.
The Senate has passed a Naval Acad-
emy Hazing bill. which may and may
not stop haZing. Its principal provi-
siOnS are that the Secretary of the Navy
may dismiss; at any time a Midshipman
whose presence he considers for any
cause contrary to the best interests of
the service, but the accused has the
right to demand a court-martial. 1t
repeals the existing law requiring the
dismissal of Midshipmen found guilty
of hazlng; gives authority for courts
martial for haZing under certain cOndi-
tons and authorizes graduation sentences
under the acts of June %, 1874, and of
March 3. 1903; requires all instructors
and officers at the Naval Academy to
report offenses to the Superintendent.
Nt,. u
assumption of authority by one Mid
shipman over another"
The Administr q tivi sometimes seems
TO do things q little unjuStly. A light
house keeper died the other day and
his wife was given the temporary ap-
pointment, and it was hoped that she
would be able to keep it. The point is
down the Potomac a few miles from
Washington, and is known as Jones
Point" The keeper, who died about
month ago, had been lighthouse keep
er there for more than 40 years. He
brought his wife TO that lighthouse 40
years ago, and she never has known any
other home since. All her children
were born there. and for 20 years, it is
said, she has been practically the keep
to move out and man has been ap-
pointed. 1t does not look just right, for
il is said that not one bit of fault could
be found with the womans work; it
was just that she is woman.
One of the interesting exhibits on
Washington's Birthday made by one of
the speakers before the National Geo
graphic Society, was his ledger. in
which was recorded his losings and
winnings at cards from 1872 to 1875.
He also read some of Washington's
poetry-Washington himself labelled it
poetry, though that was sure libel on
poesy-and also some of Washington's
love letters. These last were of the
fervid. stilted variety. Washington had
of Virginia territory previous to marry
ing Martha, if his own letters tell the
truth.
A letter has recently been received at
the Post Office Department from "a man
who recovered. through the Dead Let
ter Office, sum of money that had
been lost in the mails.
The letter is addressed to My Dear
Government" and is subscribed Loyal
~ yours" 1t is as follows:
81 received your favor of the 11th in
stant, and thank you very much. This
is not the first sign of loyalty our Gov
ernment has shown me. l wish l could
tell you how dear our Government is
to me. Our forefathers fought in the
Revolution. and their spirit has de-
scended to their children, and will re-
main till the end of time. l think !
have had four or five losses of money
returned from the Dead Letter Office in
the past. l send many thanks and much