Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-22

are not sufficient to carry to the minds
Of those with whom tho decision OF this
matter now rests the conviction not only
that It Is most inadvisable ever to en-.
trust to incompetent amateurs the man
agement of a business that Is Of ma
tion-wide Importance, and that can only
be managed prudently, safely and eff
ciently by those whom long service has
made experts with regard to 1t, then 1t
will be worse than useless to present
further facts or figures here"
The secretary at this point administers
his first sharp rebuke. Referring to the
foregoing he says:
This is not an isolated instance Of in
subordination and improperly on your
part, nor is II made m the absence of
warning as to the necessary consequences
Of such an outburst On the fifth Of
September last you submitted to me- a
memorandum In which you. by insinua-
ton, charged the chief of staff with
improper motives In his proposed action
OF relieving certain officers of the re-
crulting service"
The memorandum referred to declared
that Colonel Murray and Major Dugan
were to be relieved because they had
given testimony to a congressional COM
mittee on certain legislation, testimony
which was at variance with that given
by Major General Wood, the chief of
staff. General Ainsworth intimated that
persons mot knowing or not believing
that the chief Of staff Is too high minded
to take such a revenge would believe the
two officers had been removed to punish
them.
sTIMsoNs PERSONAL REPLY.
Long Island wrote a personal letter in
reply. In it he said II greatly regret and
reprobate certain passages OF your
memorandum" and added that nothing
is gained by suspecting or intimating
Interior motives on the part Of those with
whom we have to act in association
Continuing In his letter Of suspension.
the secretary declares: I'm considering
whether these offenNrs against propriety
on your part are merely exceptional
cases Of rudeness and Ill temper, I find
that they have become habitual on your
| part and have occurred under other ad-
illustrations of the war department and
concerning other officers than those Of
the general staff"
The secretary then refers to still an
other memorandum submitted by General
Ainsworth relative to recommendations
made by IL general officers and the SUPER
intendent Of the Military Academy rela-
tive to reduction of paper" work in
the military organization. He quotes the
adjutant-general:
IAN these recommendations ar edisap-
proved with few relatively unimpor.
tant exceptions hereinafter noted. AL
most all of them show on the part OF
those making them a deplorable ignor-
ance Of, or indifference to. the require
ments Of law with regard to the rendi-
ton Of these returns and rolls, and the
purposes for which they are rendered
Such ill-considered and impracticable
recommendations afforded convincing
proof of the futility Of calling upon on
GERS Of the army generally for an ex-
preston Of their views with regard to
the paper work that they are required to
perform"
Going back to October. 1909. Secretary
Stimson discusses another memorandum
written by General Ainsworth relating to
n proposition made by still another gen.
eral staff officer. The memorandum
reads:
COMPARED TO MILITIAMEN.
Life Is to short to permit OF vast
ing any portion of II In discussion with
or for the benefit Of. anyone whose con-
ception Of the underlying principles oil
military administration Is so hazy thai
he can advocate such a proposition So
riously. A proposition OF this kind would
be regarded as remarkable II advanced
by a State militiaman and II 10 simply
amazing when put forward by an Officer
Of the regular army. even though his
connection with the military side OF thai
establishment be SO remote as to be mere
| ~ nominal"
In summing up his letter OF suspen.
sion. Secretary Stimson does not mince
words. He says feelingly that as he
himself had been attacked he had not
deemed himself At to take judicial &C.
ton. but had laid the entire matter
J before the President who ordered