The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-11-06
HEAD OF THE ARMY
TRYING NEW TACK
General Wood Does Not Be-
Iieve in Bottling Up All
News Items.
BY JONATHAN WINFIELD.

Washington, Nov. 6.-MaJor Gen
eral Leonard Wood. chief of staff Of
the United States army. who is and
will be the ranking officer Of the reg
ulars until 1924. is DESTROYS that the
ninety odd millions OF people in the
country become intimately acquaint-
ed with the army establishment.
In fact, he has appointed himself TO
the task of introducing the citizens or
the United states TO the army. what
ever General Wood makes up his mihd
To do. experience shows he has done,
ana wen. That the army shall be as
well and popularity known as the navy
is his desire.
In his self-appointed mission. one
that President Taft is said TO favor,
the general viii have opposed 70 him
all the past traditions OF the army,
for a number of high officers believe
in mystery and not in publicity.
A month has not yet elapsed since
General Wood, fresh from his mis-
sion 10 Argentina as the personal rep
resentatiVe Of President Taft at the
centennial celebration of the South
American republic, returned here and
! assumed the duties of chief of staff.
In that time he has broken all prece-
d
! ecessOrs and evidently much to the
! discomfort of some high ranking Off
/ GERS who have bureau berths in the
war department, he Immediately took
the newspaper correspondents and
press association reporters into his
confidence. Twice q day, excepting on
sunday. no army business is of too
great Importance TO Vacate the stand
/ ing Invitation, and reporters are given
an interview General Wood has a
keen nose for news" and in that re-
speet is like his friend and hacker,
/ Colonel Roosevelt.
Publicity the Thing.
It want the people OF the country
/ TO know the army better. 1t viii be OF
great benefit to the army and to
I the militia organizations to have them
popularity known. The navy adver-
/ tises. 1t has splendid ships" General
/ Wood declared, "but the army is no
| less attractive. Its engineers, cavalry,
| signal corps and infantry all have at
fractions. There are sham battles and
practice marches. rifle range matches
and military tournaments. In fact,
there are many Inducements for men
without other prospects in life, in an
army career, and there is reward for
the man who is faithful in higher Of
flee and better pay"
Army officers were recently dis
cussing General Woods efforts TO pop
ulariZe the estab lishment one made
/ reference 10 the hostility the efforts
of the new chief of staff would un-
doubleday have TO meet from several
of the bureau heads, especially Gen
eral AinsWOrth. who is the adiutant
general. IL is General AinswOrth's
duty TO keep the records of the war
/ department, and ne has nothing 20 do
with the active management OF the
army, its officers or men.
General Ainsworth is as uncOmmu-
NEGATIVE as any official could possibly
be. An example of his reticenee Is
clearly shown when a big gun accident
recently caused the loss OF eleven sol
diers at Fortress Monroe. General
Ainswortn was the ranking officer on
duty. General Wood was in New
York City. The newspaper men went
| to General AinsWorth and asked for
a list of the killed and injured. and
the name OF the place from which
they enlisted. He refused point blank
70 give ont the information, declaring
that he was too busy. and besides it
is nobody's business
Baked. but not discouraged, the
newspaper men went to Acting Sec
rotary of War Oliver, explained the
situation and asked that he help them
out. He did not have the information,
but did the next best thing. which was
TO execute an official order directing
the adJutant general to make public
the names and place Of enlistment or
the men dead and injured. General
AinswOrth complied, but il took prac-
tically three hours for his bureau to
furnish the list. which comprised less
than twenty names.
More Officers Needed.
Congress is to be asked to authorize
a substantial increase in the number
of army officers. Six hundred is the
number said 10 be needed. The way
the increase is TO be submitted viii
make it pretty hard for the represent
tatives and senators to frOwn Il down.
The increase is aimed to benefit the
militia organizations. one officer being
provided for each regiment or part Of
a regiment in each state organization
Reuglar army officers are badly need
ed there. Their presence as instruc-
tors, il is declared, will work wonders
in bringing citizen soldiers up 10 the
highest standard. The militia Orgaui-
cations are behind the proposition, am
not only is Congress 10 be bombarded