New-York tribune., 1912-02-17
President Promptly Grants Ap-
pIicatiOn Of the Deposed
Adjutant General.
WILL. BE NO COURT MARTIAL
Proposed Investigation by Con-
gress Dropped-War Depart
ment Was Making Prep
arations for Trial.
From The Tribune Bureau ]


Yesterday. has applied for retirement MS
request has been granted and ne Is No"
on the retired list Of the army. fres'-
dent Taft promptly approved Genera.
Ainsworths application, on account VI
that officers thirty-seven years OF ser
vice.
This action makes it unnecessary ior
The War DEPARTMENT to detail the court
martial for the trial of General AIMS
worth on charges of INSTRUMENTATION III
science and impropriety in official eN-
pressions contained in documents SUD
mltted to the Secretary of War. Inc
War Department had arranged Tor the
trial 10 occur at Fort Myer, the cavalry
most near Washington, and was ensaseo
in selecting the high ranking ofllcers'
mostly those of the grades of major gen.
eral and lieutenant general on the re-
tired list The only officer on the active
list senior in rank to General Ains"orth
is General Leonard Wood chief OF stan'
who. on account Of the controversy
which has prevailed, was not eligible 10
carve ON a court to which the trial OF
reneral Ainsworth would be coniided
Friends of General Ainsworth in the
House Of Representatives, who resented
the charge that the adjutant general
had been surreptitiously giving intorrna-
+ion To the Military Affairs Committee,
were planning TO institute an lnVesusa-
ton of the War Department. Chairman
Hay of the committee said to-night'that
so far as he was concerned the officer
decision ended the agitation in Con-
gress.
The House, however, showed its IN
terest in the controversy by adopting
amendments TO the army BILL Whlch
was passed, providing for the consoliua-
tion of the offices of the adjutant genera
and inspector general with that OF the |
chief Of staff 1t also effected con- |
soIidation of the supply departments Of !
the army under a general head.
Application Made and Granted.
Mutual friends are said 10 have pre-
vailed on General Ainsworth to take the |
course he did. His communication was !
carried to the War Department by Sen |
ator Warren, of Wyoming, chairman of
the Senate Committee on Appropria- |
tions. but formerly chairman of the SEN |
ate Military Affairs Committee. 1t was |
dated to-day, and read:
The Acting Adjutant General OF the Army:
Sir: Having served continuously Tor more
than thirty-seven years as commissioned
officer Of the army, and being worn Win
the heavy burden of care and responsibility
thst have borne for many many, OF those years. S
tain longer the position that l now holo on
the active list Of the army. / therefore
respectfully ask to he retired from active
service and to be placed on the retired list,
under Section 1913 Of the Revised Statutes.
Very respectfully.
T. c. AINSWORTH.
Adjutant General.
This letter was submitted by Senator
Warren to Acting Adjutant General Nc
Cain 1t passed successfully through |
the hands Of General Leonard Wood |
chief of staff, and Secretary Stimson, |
and finally was submitted to the Presi- |
dent.
President Taft promptly sent the fol-
lowing note to Mr. stimson:
TO the Secretary Of War;
Upon his own application Major General
y C. Ainsworth the adtutant general, Is |
hereby retired under Section 1913 r. S.. and
WILLIAM II. TAFT.
secretary stin1son instructed General
Wood. as chief of STAFF. to issue the nee
essary official order. This directed that
General Ainsworth was officially retired
supon his own application" and In
Etructed him to proceed to his home.
The order closed with the words "the
travel directed is necessary In the mill
tary service"
AS a retired officer Of his rank. Cen |
eral Ainsworth will draw an annual
eaiary of $4,000 He will lose his allow |
ance of Approximately $1,000 which he
had while on active duty.
The voluntary application for retire |
tnent by General Ainsworth quashes any
charges against him.
Heading OF investigation.
II has been felt by army officers who
know something Of the situation that the !
War Department would have a hard
time convicting General Ainsworth Of
The charges under consideration II was
realized too, that an acquittal must |
serve TO restore him to active duty in the |
War Department. Friends of the gem !
eral have said that he has contemplated |
applying for retirement, and would have |
gone on the retired list some months ago |
had he not felt that his separation from !
the active list would look as II he were !
retreating under fire
General Ainsworth will remain in the |
city for the time being, in all probabil- |
fly. His friends in Congress. OF whom |
ne has many were talking to-day of M |
investigation Of the War Department |
and especially Of that part of the Cen !
eraI STAFF which is on duty in the de- |
partment. 1t has been alleged that the |
General staff officers have interfered too |
much with the functions of the bureaus. |
and ii is recalled that the bureau chiefs !
expressed some dissatisfaction at hear |
ings on the army bill before the House !
Military Committee
In such an investigation It would be
difficult matter 10 obtain information 20
sustain this allegation, because few Off
GERS would be inclined TO involve them |
selves in a controversy which has been
responsible for the threatened trial by
court martial OF General Ainsworth and
which forced him to apply for premature
retirement Ordinarily ne would nor
have retired until September 1916 but
he could have been retired at the option
OF the President two years earlier.
There was much surprise and some