Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-27
USE OF TITLE GENERAL"
Some of the Absurdities Of Its Cur


rent Employment.
1.-THE American habit OF aff1xing military,
judicial and honorary titles to mems names
has often been facetiously commented
upon.r remarked a member of Congress
from a northern state to a Star man. put
/ think we have some of the best samples Of
the ineongruity that I know Of outside OF
Kentucky right here in Washington.
'I'll tell you of an amusing incident-that
Is, it seemed amusing to the lookers-on. II
It was not to the participants. 1t was at a
reception the other night, at which were
present many representatives OF the dIpiQ-
matte, official. army and navy circles. IN
corner of the room were half dozen OF my
fellow workers In the House and some army
officers discussing army appropriations. Two
gentlemen Joined US. and the usual 1ntrOduc-
tons followed. One Of the army ofncers
happened to be a major general. DE ls
slightly deaf. The man who was doing the
introducing turned to the general and said:
"'Gen. -. allow me to introduce to
THE maor general. whom we will call
Gen. Blank TO distinguish him from the
other man, whom we will designate as Cen
eral Dash, shook hands with the other
chap and. placing his hand to his ear, SAID
inquiringly:
~ didn't catch your name. general
"Gen. Dash reiterated the friendly In
terlocutor.
DaSD--DaSn! TepS6tSu tIlt ihdJoi 6CH
eral with a puzzled expression upon his
face Dash? I 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, general"
Every man in the crowd wanted 10
| laugh, and II was with difficulty that we re-
| strained smiles. Some one pushed
| glass OF punKent punch under the old gen.
erals 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 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 of under middle life in the
| thirtes. the incongruity was made the. more
| evident.
! 1T is the height of absurdity to bestow or
| to claim the title of general in the instances
| of assistant postmasters general, assistant
| solicitors general. assistant attorneys gen
| eral 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
| in the civil branch of the government. Yet,
| strange TO say, not only are thtese assist
| ants addressed by their clerical subordi-
| mates as general but they are insistent
| upon being thus addressed by those who
| may have official business with them.
an fact, 1 think 1t is farfetched for the
| heads of these departments to be addressed
| by the military title of the commander of
an army corps and while 1t may be con-
/
| that such a title is proper in the instance
| of the head of the department. it is unques-
| tionably poor taste to bestow 1t upon sub
| ordinate official assistant. Members of the
| House could with equal propriety dub them
| selves Judges because we make the laws.
| They say that every man is DESTROYS of
| fame in one manner or another. Here is
a chance for some one man to become IA
| nous. Let him, upon receiving the APP
| pointment of an assistant general stick
| to plain Mr.. and his name will go down to
| posterity: not one of them has yet done So
THE absurdity of the situation Of these
department generals Is matched by the
| president generals that the fair members
| OF some Of the lady organizations which
4 hold their annual conventions here turn
loose upon us every year. The single title
| OF either general or president ought to
be enough to satisfy the craving OF the most
| exacting seeker of titular fame, but when II
comes to combining these titles the limit is
| reached. particularly In applying the title of
| general to woman President Is more
| appropriate. Of course. but general is the
maximum OF incongruity to my congress
| sional mind"