Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-07
Army Gossip

MATTERS Of interest on ana BACK
Of the Firing Line Cleaned from
the Army and Navy Register.
The text Of the presidents order, for
bidding officials OF the government, civil
ian and mllltary-naval, to give information
10 congress, has aroused much nl-feeling
at the capitol. The order is crudely
worded and win have to be amended. 1t
will probably be further modified by de-
partmental heads, so that the representa-
tive or senator approaching a bureau chief
may be able to extract the Information to
which he Is entitled. Under the order, as
it is now worded, the bureau chief Is not
permitted to tell a member Of congress
his name or age, to say nothing OF any
thing Of official value. The order is de-
fective in another particular, in that its
prohibition applies to military-naval off
GERS on duty in Washington and in no way
relates to officers who are not here. The
order, in other respects, is unwise, since
Mt contributes nothing to the good feeling
which should prevail between congress and
the chief executive.
Following is the order:
1t is hereby ordered that no bureau, office
or division chief or subordinate in any de-
partnent of the government and no OFFICER
or the army or navy or marine corps STA
toned In Washington hall apply TO either
house Of congress or to any committee OF
either house Of congress OF to any mem
Der OF congress for legislation or Ior APP
/ propriations or for congressional action OF
any kind, except with the consent and
knowledge of the head Of the department;
nor shall any such person respond TO any
request for information from either house
Of congress or any committee OF either
house OF congress or any member OF con
gress, except through, or as authorized by
the head Of his department r.rr
The White House. November 26. 1909.
There is prospect Of some drastic legis-
lation at the coming session of congress
which shall prevent the president from
making appointments to the grade Of brig
adler general Of the army when the officer
appointed is to be Immediately retired.
This is a direct result Of the appointments
which have been announced this week, by
virtue Of which three officers-two colonies
and a lieutenant colonel-have or will be-
come brigadier generals followed by re-
tirement. Leaders in congress, In both
house and senate, are expressing them
selves this week in vigorous terms against
this action Of the president-and this re-
CARELESS of the claims of the three officers
to reward. Some time ago congress mani
tested It's disposition in this matter by en-
acting a law placing certain restrictions
upon the president in the selection of Off
GERS for the grade Of brigadier general.
The law was so worded that it has been
possible to evade the purpose, expressed
emphatically in the senate military com
mittee, Of making brigadier generals and
Immediately retiring them. The defect in
such a practice is in its results, especially
IL it leads congress to enact legislation of
such further restrictive effect as to make
it impossible to recognize deserving cases.
The vacancy in the grade Of brigadier
general in the army, created by the pro-
motion OF General William H. Carter to
be major general, affords an opportunity
for President Taft to make four appoint
ments to that position. 1t was originally
intended that Colonel J. G.. d. Knight Of
the corps Of engineers should be made
brigadier general on November 10, when
General Carter was promoted, vice Wes-
ton, and that General Knight would serve
as a brigadier general until his retire
ment on January "a. Now, as a result of
a conference held on Saturday at the
white House, Colonel Edward B. Pratt,
Thirtieth infantry, has been made a briga-
der general previous to his retirement
upon the finding of a retiring board.
Colonel Pratt has been in command Of
the department Of California and is one
of the best officers of the army, entirely
deserving, by virtue of services rendered.
OF the reward at the close Of his active
career. A recently developed and unsus-
pected physical disability compels his pre-
mature transfer from the active list. Upon
his retirement, Colonel ]. G. D.. knight
will be made brigadier general, to be sue
ceeded In January by Lieutenant Colonel
H. M. Chittenden, also of the corps of en-
gineers, who is one OF the ablest officers
of that branch and who has become dis
abled and is destined for retirement upon
his promotion. This makes it possible for
Mr.. Taft to appoint a fourth brlgadier
general in January, following the retire
ment of General Chittenden. 1t is ex-
pected that appointment Win be from the
colonies Of infantry.
Material progress has been made by the
quartermaster generals office toward &C