The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-07
GEzH HZE01Z4RD WNQD

Washington, May 1.-THE next
twelve months promise TO be memoir
able for the many important changes
in the army Many of these changes
will occur in the regular course Of
events, and may be discounted, but
others are still somewhat unsettled
and consequently open to speculation.
Prominent among the things that
are settled is that May. Gen. Leonard
Wood, now in command of the mill
tary department Of the east, with
| headquarters at Governors Island, N.
| Y, will be the next chief of staff Of
! the army. General Wood will succeed
Maj Gen. J. Franklin Bell, whose re-
appointment to his present office was
announced Immediately after the in
auguration Of the new administration.
General Bell, however has decided to
remain here but a few months, and
before next spring he will be trans
ferred to Manila, where he will have
command of the troops stationed in
the Philippines.
Until General Bell was appointed
the office of chief of staff, which is
regarded as the most important office
in the army, was invariably Allied by
the officer of highest rank. Lieutenant
Generals Young, Chaffee and Bates
! held that office in succession, and the
appointment of General Bell followed
the request of Lieut.. Gen. Henry c.
Corbin to be assigned to the command
of the southwestern division at st.
Louis, instead of to the Office of chief
OF staff, to which his rank naturally
entitled him. General Macarthur sue
ceeded General Corbin as lieutenant
general but as he was not on the
best of terms with Secretary Of War
Taft, with whom he seems to have
disagreed when they were together in
the Philippines, it was deemed best
to make no change in the Office of
chief of staff for his benefit.
No such reasons apply, however, to
the case OF General Wood, who is a
warm personal friend Of President
Taft. General Wood likewise enjoyed
high favor with President Roosevelt.
Thus, two years ago, IL was decided
that Lieutenant General Macarthur,
the senior officer in the army, should
go into practical retirement and fill
out the remaining years Of his career
on the active list at his old home in
Milwaukee, writing his observations
of military affairs In the Orient, prin-
cipaIly in India. General Wood, upon
his return from the Philippines a year
ago, to be assigned to the choice billet
Of commander of the department of
the east, which in the natural course
OF events would have fallen to General
Macarthur. And now the latter rs
to be retired for age early next month
and General Wood will then be the
senior officer of the army in point OF
rank and service. Thus General Wood
will have accomplished in twenty
three years what General Macarthur
accomplished in forty, and other off,
GERS in quite as long time.
General Woods career has been one
OF the most remarkable the army has
ever seen. H was born in New Hamp-
shire. studied medicine, and in 1886
was appointed an assistant surgeon in
the army. He participated in the
Indian wars and saw considerable
service. 1t was not until he became
the family physician of the late Presi-
dent Mckinley, however, that he was
really started on the road 10 sue
cess.
He was captain and assistant sur
geon when, with the outbreak of the
war with Spain, in company witt
Theodore Roosevelt he organized what
was known as the Rough Riders regi-
I ment. He later received commission
as major general of volunteers, and il
/ 1901 was appointed brigadier genera
: in the regular establishment.