New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-10

general as chief of staff, in order to in
sure harmony and efficiency In the ma
tional guard.
Governor Dix took the position at the
conference that. under the military
law. the major general had command
of the field forces, while administra-
tive matters vested in the chief OF
staff.
What promises to be one of the most
sensational rows in the history OF the
New York National Guard has broken
out as a result Of the executive order
issued by Governor Dix on October s.
which gives TO Adjutant General Will
lam Verbeck the additional function of
chief of staff Of the national guard and
permits him to perform duties which IN
the past have belonged entirely to the
major general commanding the ma
tional guard.
Many officers have been dissatisfied
with the way the Governor has acted
regarding national guard affairs ana
have said he was in the hands of mill
tary politicians working for their own
ends General Verbeck has been criti-
cised for a seeming desire to usurp the
place of the major general command
ing by getting the Governor to issue
orders giving him increased power and
gradually assuming the duties Of a line
officer
so serious have these inroads been
considered that some Of General
organs friends suggested that he
take action, and to this end General
Organ requested a number of COM
manding officers of the national guard
to meet him in his Office last Monday
for an informal discussion Of military
subjects.
Among those present at the meeting
were Brigadier General John c. Eddy,
I'd Brigade, OF Brooklyn; Brigadier
General George r. Dyer, LIST Brigade, If
Manhattan; Brigadier General Elmore
F. Austin, chief of coast artillery;
Colonel c. H. Hitchcock, LIST Regiment,
from Binghamton: Colonel Daniel APP
pleton, 7th Regiment; Colonel T. w.
Huston, 18th Regiment; Colonel w. F.
Morris, 9th Regiment; Colonel John II.
Foote, 18th Regiment; Colonel c. ..
Davis, 18th Regiment; Colonel Frank
H. Norton, 23d Regiment; Colonel Will
tam H. Barthman, 47th Regiment, and
Colonel William G. Bates, list Regi-
ment.
Most of the officers agreed, 1t is said,
that the order making General Verbeck
chief Of staff of the national guard was
against the interests of the state force.
Some officers also advanced the opin-
ion that the order was illegal, mas
much as the military law of the state
did not provide for the dual offices Of
1.-The adjutant general" and "chief of
staff OF the national guard"
While no officer was sworn to secrecy
It was understood that what took place
should be held confidential The fact
of the meeting leaked out, however.
and an officer present who was friend
~ to General Verbeck told him all
about II.
The general laid the matter before
the Governor, and, it is said. charged
that Major General Organ and all the
officers who discussed the Governor 8
order or in any way criticised the adj
jutant general or any other officer were
guilty of grave military offence.
The military regulation which Gen
eral verbeck showed to the Governor
was this:
Deliberations, discussions statements or
remarks with respect to military matters,
whether oral. written or printed, by off,
GERS of the national guard OF this state
criticIsing or rejecting upon others I'm the
military service of this or any other state
or OF the United States are prohibited.
The Governor directed that Major
General Organ give an explanation,
and the general went to Albany on
Tuesday night TO explain.