Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1912-02-12
TAFT TRIED To
SHIELD RAY
Confidential Letter of Presi.
dent to Paymaster Gen.
eral Is Public
MORAL LEPER WHO PRESUMED
Army Officer Changed Posts
Eighteen Times in Thirteen
Years

tBy Special Leased vvr-~ 10 New MexicanJ
Washington, D. c., Feb. 12.-The al
legged political influence of Major
Eeecher b. Ray. the army paymaster,
declared to have enjoyed fre-
qoent changes of station and immuni-
" from troubles because Of the intlu-
ence of President Taft again was a
subject of investigation today by the
Fouse committee on expenditures in
the War Department.
Paymaster General Whipple testi-
fled that Major Ray had established
g record for frequent changes in sta
ton. In thirteen years, he had been
successfully stationed at eighteen
points, where as the average assign
ment of a paymaster at any station
is between three and four years.
Chairman Helm asked General Whip
pie if any of the assignments had been
made at the direction of President
Taft.
Yes" he answered. "In 1909, the
President asked that Major Ray be
sent to Atlanta, and in November,
1911, that he be sent to New York
AT whose request was it that Major
Ray was sent to Chicago from Allan
ta rather than to New York;
II got orders from the chief Of
sraff's Office to make the change to
| Chicago The chief of staff said that
Mrs. Ray was i'll and a surgical opera
ton was to be performed in Chicago
General Carter said this change was
made at the request of the White
| House.
One of the letters of President Taft
to Paymaster General Whipple put in
evidence in the case, and made public
today, follows;
A Confidential Letter.
Beverly, July 8, 1910. personal and
confidentialO
Dear General Whipple:
! u have read the letter of (---) re-
garding Paymaster Ray, which you
have shown me before in times past. |
have had personal interest in the
welfare of Major Ray. I have no re-
lations with Major Ray that prevent
my directing you to take the same
disciplinary action in respect to him
as in the case of any of your subordi-
mates.
''It seems to me that 1t would De
wise to send General Darlington or a
! trusted assistant to inspect Rays ac-
counts and those of his clerk as well,
as the charges (-) makes that IL
| the facts turn out TO be as (-)
states to separate (--D from Ray at
! once
while Rays conduct, if (-)
charges are true, could subject him
tC the severest condemnation, there
seems from (-) language and tele
gram to be such a conformation by
him and his wife that it would be
we'll to avert the demoralizing scan
dal for the army involved in the court
martial proceedings, which would
place a stigma on (-) and Mrs.
(--) which they could never recov-
e" from. Ray could be told that his
superiors knew his fault and have
provided against it, and in the inter-
est of his victims and the army, it
was deemed best not to present it TO
the board on the condition that he
avoid such conduct in the future.
These suggestions are on the as
sumption that (-) charges are
true. and that General Darlington
knows them to be so. | do not favor
court martial proceedings in such
order to prevent scandal. The army
suffers, the parties suffer, and only
the prurent readers of sIch trials re
ceive any advantage. The discipline
: involved does not outweigh in it
benefit for the army the injuries Il
the prestige OF the army and the de
moralization it causes.
: you can show this letter to Gener
, al Darlington and General Oliver, bu
| would prefer that it do not go OF
, your official files. The course | sug
l gest is the one it seems to me is bes
2 under the circumstances.
2 Major Ray did me some service o
t a political character years ago, at tn
instance Cf my brother, and he is dis
: posed to assume much, too much o
n that score | wish him treated as an.
other officer in the service, and
would make the same suggestion a
e to any army officer in similar case
e Sincerely yours,
:, "WILLIAM II. TAFT"
l. The Canker of immortality.
S A year later President Taft ser
s this letter to General Whipple:
= The White House, Washington, Jul