The Washington herald., 1907-10-31

The Presidents order testing the horse
ananship of officers Of the United States
army, a subject for levity by the general
public. has become more of a stern
reality to officers than the mere eating
OF dinner off mantel-piece.
Some OF the army's very best material
Bnen whose efficiency in their several de
tails is unquestioned-many of whom it
viii be difficult to replace, are slated for
retirement because their work for years
has taken them out Of the saddle. and
they have been found physically disquali-
fed for rough riding
Word has been received only from the
first group of officers who took the trial
ride. OF something like 80 officers, Is or
20 per cent are expected TO be ordered be
GOre retiring boards al an early date. II
the President adheres TO his order. they
win be retired In all about 700 colonels.
lieutenant colonies, and majors must take
the ride. In other words. if the same
percentage Of disqualihcations are record
ed seventy or seventy-fve Of the army's
most experienced officers will be reIegated
10 field of useIessness.
This seems TO be especially the case in
the Engineer Corps and the Artillery
Corps. whose ranks are filed by the star
graduates Of the Military Academy-men
whose duties embrace the solution Of the
.Jechnical problems of warfare rather
than proficiency IN equestrianism, only
expected Of the cavalry branch
Some Probable Victims.
A-Uartial list Of the officers who failed
80 make good in the riding test includes
the following.
Col James NJ. Marshall. Quartema5ter's Depart
snent. quartemaster government depot. jefferson
Niile Ind appointed from Illinois: rctires by age
Gezt year
Col William l. Marshall. Corps of Engineers
detailed iu New York ou uvaIs and harbors work
appointed from kutue2; rctres by age in three
sears
Col Henry J.. Harris Artillery C0rz Font Han
over. New jersey: appointed from New Jersey. re-
Iirss hy age in line years.
Ma Joseph T. Crabs. Quarterma,tsr's Depart
nent; ON duty W this cit. appointed fICm Illinois
retires by age iu-twcuty-dve years.
Mai John T. French. Quarterma s1er's Depart
mcut, on duty In this city; appointed from Alassa-
Chus,tts rerirss hy age iu eleven years.
Mai James e.. Warren, Engineers Corrs- in
VhaTCe of rivers and harhsrs work IT. Cincinnati
Ohio. appointed from New York; r5tires by age in
fifteen years.
MAJ zFulon b. Vance captain. Eleventh In
dautr. APPOINTED from North Carolina, r,tirss D.
Bge iu seventeen years
s'oirted from Wisconsin. Tgtires by age IN eight
years
Ma. Harry NJ HaIIock Medical Department. ar-
pointed from Sew Jersey Te;ires by age IN twenty
10r years.
All Of the above officers. with the excep-
lion Of Maj. Vance and Maj. Hauock. are
graduates Of the Military Academy.
Bordering on a Panic.
The action of the medical boards has
thrown officers on duty at the War De-
paTtment I'm a state of mind closely bOr-
dering on panic. The Presidents order
which was at first regarded i'm the nature
of a joke. has turned out to be very
serious proposition. In several instances
officers who are slated to go before the
board thought they had stood the rice i'm
hrst-class shape. and had no doubt thev
were passed upon favorably by the sur
geons. The result is that many officers
SvhO would have from FIVE TO TWENTY-FIVE
years active service ahead of them see
indications of having their military ca
reers cut short AT a time when they were
just getting In line for promotion.
The captains and lieutenants in the
service. on the other hand are witnessing
the turn OF affairs with equanimity. The
idea that. perhaps, nearly a hundred of
the colonels. lieutenant coloneIs, and ma
JOrs may be swept from the army at one
blow inaugurates a system Of rapid pro
motion for which they had never dared
hope.
As a recent West Point graduate ey-
pressed il TO a brother officer last night
If this keeps up, we could not wish for
legislation more calculated to take the
hump out OF our branch Of the service "