New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-27
GEN. woods MILEAGE.
FGyment Defended By Secretary
Taft-The Philippine TIp.

washington. March 26-Secretary Taft discussed
o-uay with the Senate Committee on Military AZ
iS me recommendations OF the President regard
e distribution Of officers among the army
poS.S, ne criticised the present system. saving
II Is deficient. as It does not afford officers an
forces u over large
me secretary spoke OF the payment Of General
-, sNpehses on the occasion OF his visit TO the
'eu states from the Philippines last summer for
me purpose OF having surgical onaratio, ,er-
formed lie said the first information he had that
'he general desired 10 come to Boston for tho on,
S was received In May in a cable dispatch
rom General Corbin who said that Wood yvae
uIIeIlng from an injury received seven years be-
Iofe IN the line OF duty and he asked secrecy 1a -
ass ne uld not want 10 alarm General Woods
-,' WOOD obtained leave Of absence from
49, anu ne went to Hong Kong on the Buford
H. . a. sent there for repairs. The injury max
e, eOessary the operation was received nv
e1iAhg MS head against a chandelier yvbila he
~ Cuoa- No bad effects were felt until the
service IN the Philippines began He was then at
5t,I,-, - severe cramps. and the surgeons in the
IHlIpplnes attributed the difficulty n rrase,,ra On
the BRAIN The Philippine surqeons 5o.ItnaS -
1eI'aAe the operation. and issued q certificate
iei'u'hg MS return to the United States for
me purpose Of having the skull trephined
-, ne GeheraI Wood in Chicago He explained
e SiicuHlstances and N accordance with the Gus
'oi' III the army I ordered him to Boston as tho
proper pace for the performance Of the operation y,
u MI AaIt- The general explained that he had
40 means except his salary. and suggested that he
put on outy status, which the Secretary told
MN could be DONE his aid. Captain Dorev heinz
permitted to accompany him They had ,o+ 4r,,,
eIIeu on transport because of the crowded oondi
1oh or those vessels, and vouchers FOR mileage
'Ssueu Tor the transportation Of both the gen
eral ana his aid from Manila to Boston Via Hong
hohg' but the mileage from Manila TO Hong IIong
was reduced because of the use OF the transDor+
Inc secretary said that the Boston operation was
not entirely satisfactory to the generals friends IN
'e OhiIed states including the President: accord
lngly the general remained here from July 7. when
14e operation was performed, until August "a when
at the suggestion Of the surgeon the President IS
sued an order directing General Wood to return to
The philippines via London for the purpose of con-
sulting a specialist there. Accordingly Military
Secretary Ainsworth issued an order directing
wood to proceed to London on confidential service
which the order said had been explained to the
general by the President
Secretary Taft said the allowance came under the
regulation for payments for public duty He con-
protecting his health as at ohe on m Hoo 0u'y
senator 0yeTnan called attention to the fact that
ne Secretary said that the regulations fully cover
TIE circumstances. He did not however, consider
the allowance OF mileage from Manila TO Hong
Kong ana from Hong Kong to San Francisco as
ance made, and on reviewing the case he had
rea IL +oIuleL hnolng ana erected that the
allowance for actual travelling expenses. The en-
had he said cost the government ABOUT ssoo "0'lo
- DO YOU know Of any other officer who has trav-
eled on liner and had his expenses paid instead
OF using transport?' asked Senator Overman.
ms question, at which the witness laughed aloud
was followed by an inquiry as TO whether General
Coron had done so. He replied that Corbin had
not He applied for order. but I did not give
It he referred to his last summers trip to the
Orient, saying that he had told the army officers
that on that trip they would be allowed their
expenses. but not mileage.
.When We got TO Hong Kong" he said, "I re-
cetved an order from the President TO go to Can
ton to interview the Ficeroy the boycott and
ACCOMPANIED Sinh
quently gave them an order for the pay of their
mileage on that trip, suppOsing that ii covered
only their expenses TO Canton. but I found after
ward that II had been construed as covering the
entire trip 20 San Francisco. When this was ex-
planned 70 me, made a new order, which was
exactly the same as the order made IN the Wood
case. General Corbin came liner and paid HIS
own expenses"