The Washington times., 1907-05-12
MaidenS Left Chilly on
Parade Grow
Angry.
Mrs. AyreS Champions
Action of the
Cadets.
CriticiseS Col. Howe.
Hefce All the
Trouble.

Had Mars, suddenly perceiving that
Venus was shivering in a chill breeze.
wrapped his cloak around her, probably
no more would have been heard or
thought of the incident.
But the gallantry OF a number OF West
Point cadets on the parade grounds on
Easter Sunday has not been so readily
dismissed. The cadets. seeing that the
eold--and it really was cold-caused dis
comfort 10 their sweethearts, sisters,
and mothers, impulsively gave up their
overcoats. The women, for greater COM
fort, donned them as they would their
own coats, and buttoned the collars
closely.
Lieut. Col Robert L. Howe. the COM
msndant. found time, during his scru-
tiny of the dress parade. to send ser
geant to the women, present his COM
pliments, and request that. inasmuch as
they were parties to a breach of para
graph 293, regulations OF the United
States Military Academy, they would
oblige greatly by relinquishing the over
coats This paragraph requires that
cadets shall under no circumstances loan
any part of the regulation clothing.
Trouble A-Plenty.
Straiehtaway there was trouble. The
cadets. many with boyish natures I'M
tempered by military ambitions, did not
like the action Of the commander Need
less 10 say the women were In A like
frame of mind, only more so, for il was
cold day. and the wind had lost none
Of its biting nature while whistling
through the Catskills on its journey
south.
But there was one charming girl who
set the rules and regulations at defiance,
and would have utterly routed them but
for the courteous tact of an old officer,
who interfered in the NIX Of time.
when the sergeant approached her
probably wishing himself on duty in the
toughest quarter OF the Bowery-and
said. you are ordered to take that coat
on" she replied promptly, II decline 20
obey that order" The imagination reels
at the thought Of what might have hap
pened, but in order 20 avoid a STU
alton that might have been catastro-
phic. the officer in question stepped up
and saved the day by asking, Won't
you do that for me2'
Surrender was immediate.
Girl Could Have Won.
yes. general. will permit you to re-
move my coat-no one else can.
And we may fairly believe that no one
else could. and that but for such sympa-
khetic interposition the heroine would
have carried off the honors. and would
have worn the cadet coat until the close
or the parade
Colonel Howe himself has as much
cause for gratitude to the old general
as any one else. No one knows better
than he that he could no more have en-
Forced such an order than he could have
postponed the sunset
The cadet committee subsequently
asked him: Colonel. what would you
have done had the ladies refused to re-
move the costs?"
Dunno" he replied. don't think l
could have done anything
And now there is much trouble, for, in
stead of number Of women being lin
it" the affair has narrowed down TO
the old explanation-'There's a woman
in it,"
Instead of ending with the order Of
the commander, the incident has been
expanded into a pretentiOus occurrence.
The War Department at last took il
up and is now investigating complaints
against an officers wife-Mrs. Elizabeth
Fairfax Ayres. This is the first time
the department has made woman the
subject Of an investigation.
She Criticised Howe.
While no formal charges have been
preferred against Mrs. Ayres, the in
vestigation has to do with criticism
made by her upon Col Robert Lee
Howe. There is a technicality in the
case which may have an important bear
ing upon the decision.
Under the army regulations. an officer
- responsible to a certain degree for his
wife's actions. The woman cannot be
held responsible in matters such as
this. Mrs. Ayres has lived at the reser-
walton at West Point by privilege
Secretary Taft has not decided what
viii be done in the matter, but awaits
the report Of Col. Stephen c. Mills. o.
the Inspector Generals Department, to
whom the unenvied task of investigating
the case was assigned
Mrs. Ayres is the wife of Lieut.. Col
Charles G. Ayres. of the Eighth Cavalry
e gallant soldier. who won the ever
lasting admiration of President Roose-
velt at San Juan. Had 1t not been for
Colonel Ayres' GOODNESS and precision
DIS command would have moved down
the Rough Riders. through a misunder-
stood order.
Mr.. Ayres Kept Busy.
When Colonel Howe issued the order
hat the overcoats must be taken or by
me women. there were some protests.
Many thought that under the circum.
stances be might have been more lenient
Mrs Avrcs Is a FAIRFAX cf Virginia
She has a son in the cadet corps. When
the overcoat incident was being gen
srsily discussed. Mrs. Ayres was moss
outspoken. Among those to whom she