The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-07-27
USE AND ABUSE OF
TITLE GENERAL"
Some Of Absurd uses to Which
Honorable Appeliation
IS Submitted.
MANY AMI SING INCIDENTS
Nearly Every Assistant in the Various
Departments at Washington is
Burdened With the
Title.
FROM tine washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
"The American habit of atfiNing mil
: itary. judicial and honorary titles to
mems names has often been facetiously
commented upon remarked q MEM
Der OF congress from q northern state
to q Star man. but l think we have
some OF the best samples OF the in
congruity that l now 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, IL it was not to the partici-
pants. 1t was ut a reception the other
night. at which We're present many rep
resentatives of the diplomatic, official,
army and nayy circles. In Il corner
of the room We're half a dozen of my
fellow workers in the house n some
army officers discussing ar1n appro-
,~priattons. Two gentlemen joined us.
and the usual introductions followed.
One OF the army officers happened to be
a major general. He is slightly deaf.
The man who was doing the introduce
,ang turned to the general and said:
Genuine Meets Bogus.
$50 allow me to intro
The major general, whom we will
call General Blank to distinguish him
from the other man, whom we will des-
etgnata as General Dash, shook hands
with b other chap, and. placing his
hand to his ear, said. inquiringly:
81 didn't catch your name, general
General Dash reiterated the
friendly interlocutor.
"-Dash-Dash?' repeated the major
general, with a puzzled expression up
IN his face, Dash? / don't recall such
q name in the army-Dash. did you
-sayl May ask what army corps you
have or a the honor of serving in,
Eeneral?'
Every man in the crowd wanted to
laugh. and it was with difficulty that
we restrained u smiles. Some one
pushed q glass of pungent punch I'M
familiar and welcome odor the real
warrior Immediately forgot the titular
commander. for General Dash hap
pened to be one OF the assistant sec
setaries in one Of the departments in
1m1 city whose heads are designated
with h official title of general And
since his appearance indicated an age
3f under middle life in the thirties, the
mcongruity was made the more evil
dent.
1T 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 gen
erals that may be found scattered
"a Al tl SAkc OlllCldAH departments III
Washington held down by men doing
sofficfal work in the civil branch of the
government. Yet. strange to say, not
only are these assistants addressed by
their clerical subordinates as general
but they are insistent upon being thus
addressed by those who may have Off
>c1al business with them.
Many Lady Generals"
I'm fact, I think it is far-fetched for
heads of these departments to be
addressed by the military title Of the
commander Of an army corps, n
while 1t may be conceded by some for
h sake of argument that, such a title
Is proper in the instance Of the head
OF the department, 1t is unquestionably
poor taste to bestoW 1t upon a sub
ordinate official assistant. Members
eof the house could with equal propriety
Hub themselves Judges because we
make the laws.
They say that every man is de-
circus of fame in one manner or an
other. Here Is a chance for some one
man to become famous. Let him. up
on receiving the appointment Of All
n his name will go down to poster
3ty: not one Of them has yet done so.
1.-The absurdity Of the situation of
these department generals is matched
by the president generals that the fair
members of some of the lady organizaA
ions which hold their annual conven-
Hons here turn loose upon us every
year. The single title Of either general
pr president ought to be enough to
satisfy the craving of the most exact
ing seeker of titular fame, but when
1t comes to combining these titles the
limit Is reached. particularly in apply
Ing the title of general to a woman.
president is more appropriate, OF
course but general is the maximum
OF incongruity to my congressional
mind"