The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-10
HOUSE COMMITTEE
 CR|T|C|SES TAFT Severely Scored in the Aims
 worth Scandal STIMSON IMPLICATED Charged With 'Flagrant Misuse of Official Authority in Suspending Ainsworth--Language to the
 House Is Bebuked
STIMSON IMPLICATED

Washington, April e-President Taft
 and Secretary Stimson are severely arr
 raigned in 3. sensation report on the
 Ainsworth case, presented to the House | today by the military affairs committee.
 Secretary Stimson is charged with hav ing committed a great and irreparable wrong, and "a fragrant misuse of of fcial authority" when last February he suspended General Ainsworth from his duties as adjutant general of the army
 and charged him with insubordinatlon.
 Handled Without Gloves
 That the President and Secretary stim-
 son, preadjudged the case. that the ac- cusation against the general were based
 upon prejudice, and that the Secretary of War has an erroneous idea of his relation to Congress, are some of the other conclusions reached by a majority .Ipf the committee, of which Representa- tive Hay of Virginia is chairman. Following General Ainsworth's relief from duty, and when a courtmartial seemed probable, the President permitted
 him to retire from the army because of his long service. The report follows an investigation of Ainsworth's relief from duty, set afoot by a resolution by Repre- sentative Watkins of Louisiana.
 Criticise Relief
 crticislng the relief of General Aims worth, the report declares the worst feature of it was that this officer of long and distinguished service had no tribunal to which he could appeal with any hope of justice or fair treatment The majority of the committee con clude that General Ainsworth had been guilty of no act which justified the letter of suspension from Secretary Stimson, and that the charges had | origin in a determination to drive Gen eral Ainsworth from active service, and
 have nothing to support them but bare | assertion coupled with misrepresenta- tion and suppression of the truth Ainsworth Not Guilty
 The report then goes on to say that | 1t is incredible of belief that Secretary Stimson believed General Ainsworth guilty of the charges, and adds: Some other reason must have ac- tuated the Secretary of War, and that
 reason Is not hard to find Your com mittee being familiar with all the phases of the legislative statutes of the army appropriation bill can very readily account for this violent assault on General Ainsworth-"
 It is pointed out that General Aims
 worth favored the five year enlistment plan in the army bill, which was op- posed by other officers of the general staff. and that Secretary Stimsons let ter of suspension to the general was sent on the day that this feature of 1 the bill was being discussed in the House.
 l Secretary Stimson's report to the | House when he sent the papers in the case, to the effect that his action was not to be construed as recognition of the authority of the House or any O. I It's committees to require of the chief executive statement of reasons for his official action" is severely criticised. ! General Ainsworths stand upon q certain letter to the Secretary of War, upon which much of tue charges was
 based. is defended.