The Washington herald., 1911-06-06

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commended yesterday for his action
in upholding the true spirit of the
American army when he ordered
the Secretary of War to administer
a severe public reprimand to Col.
Joseph H. Garrard, commanding
the military post at Fort Myer, be-
cause that officer wrote in his in
dorsement of the examination pa
pers of a private in his command
that "the applicant is a son of Mr..
Joseph A. Bloom, of Jewish persua-
sion, who is now, and has been for
a number of years, tailor at this
post. / would not desire him in my
command as an officer and a social
and personal associate. l have
found few communities where Jews
are viewed as desirable social as
sociates."
PRAISE FOR TAFT.
President Taft is the fairest-minded
man have ever known" said Senator
Simon Guggenheim. of Colorado, last
night. ''and In ordering a public reIri-
mand for Col Joseph H. Garrard for
his unmilitary action in regard to the
young Jewish private the President, see
ing his duty, performed IL with that fair
ness of his, regardless OF race and creed.
There was no other course the Presi-
dent could have taken In the matter,
and such an action as performed by Col.
Garrard. which is entirely out OF spirit
with true Americanism, is deserving Of
every bit OF the reprimand that Presi-
dent Taft. as his commander-in-chief, has
given him. President Taft is thoroughly
fair-minded in all his actions, and
whether a man be Jew or GENTLE, no
matter what his creed, he Is due all the
fairness. certainly in the, army. that is
due any American citizen"
Rev. DR.. John Van Shaick, pastor of the
Church of Our Father, deplored the In
cident as one that was utterly un-Ameri-
can.
The action of Col Garrard was decid-
edIy out OF line with the spirit OF the
American army" he said. 81 thoroughly
sympathize with the reprimand Of Presi-
dent Taft and his order that q complete
Investigation be made OF the incident
1t is a matter in which race and religion
take no part"
In censuring Col Garrard, the President
wrote to the Secretary Of War: 1T is
difficult for me to read the Endorsement
Of Col. Garrard with patience and with
out condemnatory words that had better
not be written"
Advised by Roosevelt.
Private Bloom enlisted in the army at
the suggestion OF former President
Roosevelt, from whom he had solicited
an appointment to West Point. Roose-
welt advised him to enlist and try to
rise from the ranks He had followed
this advice, and while at Fort Myer In
Col Garrard's command had taken a
preliminary examination to obtain a COM
mission as an officer. These papers
passed through the hands of Col Gar
rard, who wrote thereon the following
Endorsement:
"The applicant Is a son Of Mr.. Joseph
A. Bloom, of Jewish persuasion. who is
now, and has been for a number Of
years, a tailor at this post. His assoc
ciates, as far as know, and those of his
family, have been enlisted men and
their families and have been respect
able. The young man is undoubtedly
honest and upright, ambitious. and prob
able deserving, but for the reasons
stated would not desire him In my
command as an officer and q social and
personal associate.
''The presence of the applicants family
OF discipline, and their probable treat
ment a source of modification to them
and frequent cause OF trouble to COM
manding officers. From an experience
OF many years I have found, excepting
in few cases. few communities where
Jews are received as desirable social
associates"
The Secretary Of War has Informed the
President that the average attained by
Private Bloom In his mental examina-
tlon for promotion was not high enough
to permit his being entered In the final
examination for promotion 70 the COM
mission ranks. Blooms mother, however.
considered her son had been disqualified
because OF the racial prejudice Of Col.
oerTRrd-
simen Wolf Interested.
She brought Col Garrad's Endorsement
to the attention OF Simon Wolf, repre-
sentative Of the Jewish Order Of B'nai
Birth. urging him 70 obtain for her son
either a fair chance ta secure promotion
or permission to resign at once from
the army in order to 1T himself for work
In another field, Wolf brought the case
70 the attention OF President raft.
He represented TO the President that
Chaplain Pierce, then post chaplain at
Fort Myer, had come to him during
Roosevelt's administration TO indoree the
young man for appointment as a cadet
at West Point. President Roosevelt did
not give Wolf this appointment. but adj
vised Bloom TO enlist. Wolf showed the
Bloom,e mother.
The President wrote 70 the then sacre-
tary Of War. Dickinson. asking him TO
investigate the case and. II the facts
as represented By Wolf proved true. 10
raprsmand Col 0arr2rd and 70 give
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