Semi-weekly herald., 1907-11-18
OFFICERS COULDN'T RIDE; MAY
BE RETIRED
o.


BE RETIRED
Washington. Nov 12.-By direction
Of President Roosevelt dozen army
officers will be hailed before re
firing board presided over by Briga-
dier General John NJ X Davis. to
meet at Washington barracks tomor-
row This is the first result of the
presidents famous order TO test the
horsemanship Of army officers. At
first considered as a joke. it has he
come serious matter for many army
officers.
The twelve officers who will appear
before the retiring BOARD tomorrow
were not selected because they fail
ed in the actual test of horseman.
ship. They were never permitted to
attempt it. IN the arrangements by
the general staff for carrying out the
presidents order it was ordered that
all officers liable to the trial should
submit to a preliminary physical ex.
animation. There are the men whom
the surgeons reported as unfit to ua,
dertake the fifteen mile ride.
Now they are ordered before re
firing board, with their cases preju-
diced by that adverse report. and hard
ly one of them hopes to escape the
decapitating Az The list includes two
o. the best-known officers of the quar-
termasters department coast artil
leryman OF high professional efiici
eucy: distinguished ordnance officer
and two engineers who have devoted
many years to river and harbor work
In the case Of the engineers retire
ment for inability to stand test in
horsemanship probably means only
| that they will be detailed as retired
officers to active service on the same
work that they have been doing fol
| years. They will continue to receive
such detail, but promotion will be Sc
| slow as practically to have ceased ant
| all opportunity Tor advancement t.
the grade Of genaal will be ended
| Although it is announced at the wal
department that the board will retire
no officers whom it judges can in theil
! present position benefit the service
the possibility OF retirement and the
embarrassment of being branded {
| poor rider or of being advertised as
a physically deficient officer, has caus
ed great furry in army circles
Many officers occupying responsible
desk positions are uneasy and alarm
ed.
The dozen officers ordered before
the board tomorrow represent only
the first lot who have been unable tc
| fulfill the requirements of the presi
dents riding order. When the rides
throughout the country are complete,
many more will undoubtedly be added
to the list Reports received at the
department indicate that several off
GERS in different parts of the country
have had to give up after a few miles
in the saddle.
In the list of twelve officers who
win appear before the retiring board
tomorrow are three colonels, three
lieutenant colonels and six majors
The colonies are James NJ. Marshall
assistant quartermaster general. who
would retire for age March ~ next:
Henry L. Harris, of the coast artil
lery. who has yet two years to serve
and William L. Marshall of the en-
Gineers corps. who is not due to re.
| IRE for four years. The lieutenant
colonels are William w. Robinson. jr.
deputy quartermaster general: VIII
liam T. Rossell, of the engineers. and
Frank L. Hobbs. of the ordnance
corps. The majors are John T. French.
quartermaster; James S. Warren. en-.
sineer; George II. Palmer. Twentieth
infantry: Harry NJ. HalIock. surgeon;
Joseph T. Crabbs, quartermaster. and
=. u. Vance. Fifth infantry.