Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-03-28
ADJUTA NT-GENERAL AINSWORTH.

A noteworthy tribute is paid by the New
York Sun to ajor- General Ainsworth,
native of Woodstock, who has won envi-
able distinction as we'll as national fame
by his varied and efficient service in
Washington and incidentally the public is
Gus military reforms instituted by Uni
ted States Senator Redheld Proctor while
secretary Of war. The Sun says:
1t must not he supposed that the aboli-
ton of the title military secretary and the
restoration of that of Acknowledgement
will cause any change in the duties or the
authority of the incumbent. Maj Gen.
eral Ainsworth will have as adjutant-gen-
eral precisely the same Responsibilities
and powers that he had as military secre-
tary The new title has been revived be-
cause the old one was generally regarded
as a misnomer and a blunder.
The truth Is that Northumberland"
fits the case far better now than it did
under the former army organization. In
the fine old days of Drum. Williams and
Corbin this official was too often more
than his designation would imply He
q
or for tho general commanding, as the
occasion might arise and these two, each
surprising that the other had authorized
the proceeding, seldom had the matter
called to their attention. 1t was a fact
indeed, that the general commanding"
was little more than a chief in buckram
and sat to n banquet of strictly Barecide
character. Grant resented II. Sherman
left Washington in disgust and took up
his residence In St. Louis. Sheridan treat
ed the arrangement with half humorous
contempt. 1t was not until SChotied sue
ceeded to the jest that a readjustment
and a definition became inevitable. Scho-
field had no idea of playing the marionette
part in a somewhat shabby show. He
had commanded armies, conducted highly
important ampaigns-witness the battla
of Franklin, Tennessee-and 1t was by 10
means to his taste to lend himself to dis"
respectful comedy. This was in Benjamin
lIarrison's time and the Hon. Redtield
| Proctor was secretary of war.
| Schoheld stated the case to Proctor
He knew how to run the army. He UNI
derstood not only the fine gentlemen ~
the desks in the department, but also tho
hard working officers and privates in far
off, isolated posts and camps and bar
racks. He knew what the workers on the
frontier needed was in touch with al
the vital forces of the military establish.
ment. Informed by long experience and
| further qualified by sympathy and plair
| common sense, he felt able to render use.
full service If permitted. Secretary Proc.
tor saw the point, and the adjutant- gen.
eral was reduced to his proper and legiti.
mate functions. Lamont found smooth
lly running machine and very wisely KEEP
it running so. Later on came Russell a
Alger as secretary. Miles was genera
| commanding and Corbn adiutant-gen
eral-Miles cantankerous and fussy, Cor
bin a man of unusual brains and extra or
rinary ability Miles hated Corbn. The
latter despised Miles. Alger found it i'm
possible to get on with this general com
handing unless ne abdcated all hi!
functions. He liked and trusted Corbin-
at first--and so once more the adjutant
general got on top. Intrigue and usurpa
ton resumed their activities in the adju
tant generals Office and things went AYR,
again.
We all know how and why Alger wa
forced out of the war department. Thcl
came Root. This man ran a cool, dis
terminating eye over Corbin, a pprased nj
remarkable talent at a glance, saw in
flash of insight that nine-tenths of tn
trouble grew out of the absurd and mis-
chcvous arrangement, and promptly Sc
about the formulation of a scheme q
army reorganization. There must be n
more general commanding and no NOR
adjutant- generals of the kind correspond
ing to that astounding blunder, He had hi
way. BY sheer force of brains and energ
he set up the new standard, still erect an
operative, and gave to the service a sys
tenn under which the Drums and Wi
liamses and Corbns of the unhappy pas
will be impossible. There Is no longer
general commanding" with nothin
| much to do and no authority save that
pouting at the secretary and the adjutant
general. The ranking officer of the arm
is ex-officio, head of the general staff II
? is the secretary's alter ego in all matter
. purely military, and the adjutant genera
. is such In fact as well as name, di!
charging the functions indicated by h
title and under no temptation to excee
5 them. The arrangement is not absolutel
t perfect. perhaps, but 1t Is so vastly PR
, ferable in every way that 1t calls for
whole procession OF hallelujahs.
General Ainsworth Is one of the able
office men our army has ever DEVELOPS
He will make an ideal adjutant