Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-06-11
USE OF THE TITLE GENERAL"
some of the AbsurSitIes of Tts Cur
rent Employment Pointed
Out.

THE American habit OF amxinE military
judicial and honorary titles TO mems names
has often been facetiously commented
upon" remarked q member Of congress
from a northern state, but / think we
have some of the best samples Of the in
congruity that / know Of outside OF Ken
lucky right here in Washington.
"Tll tell you of an amusing incident-that'
f. II, seemed amusing to the lookers-on. IL
IL was not TO the participants. 1t was at
reception the other night, at which were
present many representatives OF the diplo-
matte, oficial, army and navy circles. In
corner of the room were half dozen OF my
fellow workers in the house and some army.
oficers discussing army appropriations
Two gentlemen Joined u.s. and the usuel in
productions followed. One Of the army ON
GERS happened to be a major general. He II
slightly deaf. The man who was doing the
introducing turned 10 the general and SAID
"' General -, allow me TO INTRODUCES to
you General -
1.-The major general. whom we will call
General Blank to distinguish him from the
other man, whom we win designate as Gen
erai Dash, shook hands with the other
chap. and, placing his hand TO his ear said
inquiringly:
I didn't catch your name general
"'General Dash reiterated the friendly
interlocutor.
Dash. DashT repeated the major gem
eral. with puzzled expression upon his
face, Dash? / don't recall such name IN
the army Dash, did you say? May l ask
what army corps you have or had the honor
Of serving in generalY
every man in the crowd wanted to laugh
and II was with dihiculty that we re-
strained our smiles. Some one pushed
glass OF pungent punch under the old gen
erals nose and al the familiar and welcome
odor the real warrior Immediately forgot the
titular commander for General Dash hap
nened 70 he one OF the assistant secretaries
in one OF the departments in this city, whose
heads are designated with the Official title
OF general And since his appearance In
dicated an age under middle life in the
20s the incongruity was made tho more
evident.
at IL the height OF absurdity to bestow or
claim the title Of general in the instances
oil. assistant postmasters, general. assistant
solicitors general. assistant attorneys gen
erai or any other Of the many assistant
generals that may be found scattered
around in the official departments in Wash
ington held down by men doing official work
I'm the civil branch OF the government. Yet,
strange to say not only are these assist
ants addressed by their clerical subordinateS
as general but they are insistent upon be-
ing thus addressed by those who may have
official business with them.
''In fact think IL is far-fetchsd for the
heads Of these departments TO be addressed
by the military title OF the commander or
an army corps, and while II may he con-
coded by some for the sake OF argument
that such a title is proper In the instance
of the head Of the department. Il Is unques-
| tionably poor taste TO bestow It upon
subordinate Official assistant. Members OF
I the house could with equal propriety dub
themselves Judges because We make the
| laws.
| .eTbev say that every man is DESTROYS OF
| fame in one manner or another Here 10
! chance for some man to become famous
let him. upon receiving the appointment
| of an assistant general stick 10 plain 'Mr.
and his name win go down 10 posterity;
not one Of them has yet done so.
The absurdity OF the situa ton OF theSa
department generals is matched by the
.presldent generals that the fair members
! OF some OF the lady organizations which
hold their annual conventions here turn
loose upon US every year. The single title
Of either general or president ought TO
be enough 90 satisfy the craving OF The
most exactng seeker OF titular fame. but
when il comes to combining these titie'
! the limit Is reached particularly IN applying
| the title of general 20 a woman. Pres
| ideut Is more appropriate, Of course but
| general is the maximum OF incongruity 70
my congressional mind, s-Washington star