The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-17
u[N. MlvsrUnln ON RETIRED LIST
 AT OWN REQUEST This Precludes Possibility of a Courtmartial for
 Insub0rdination
MANY REGRET THE
 GENERALS ACTION
His Friends in Congress Were Pre- pairing to Order Thorough In- vestigation of Department.
 House Passes Hay Bill

Washington. February 16.--Adjt. Gen. Fred C Alnsworth. who was relieved of his office on charges assumed to be those of conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline. today was placed on tho retired list on his own applloa- ton. This preeludes the possibility of a courtmartlal. President Taft ap- proved General Ainsworths application because of the officers 37 years of service.
 Friends of General Ainsworth in the House who resented the charge that the adjutant general had been surrepA titiously giving information to the mill tary affairs committee. were planning to institute thorough investigation of the war department Chairman Hay of the committee declared tonight that SO far as he was concerned the officers retirement ended the agitation in Con gress.
 House Is Interested
 The House, however. disclosed it's in- terest in the controversy by adopting amendments to the army bill. provid- ing for the consolidation of the office of the adiutant general and inspector general with that of the chief of staff. It also effected consolidation of tho supply department of the army under u general head.
 Mutual friends are said to have pre- vailed upon General Ainsworth to Ike the course he did. His communication was carried to the war department by Senator Warren of Wyoming. chair man of the Senate committee on appro- prlations, but formerly chairman of the Senate military affairs committee. It was dated today and read:
 AinswOrth's Request "The Acting Adiutant General of ths Army
 "Sir--Having served continuously for more than 37 years as a commissioned officer of the army. and being worn with the heavy burden of care and re- onsAhiIty that hase borne formany of thsse years, do not desire ir any cfrcumstances 10 retain longer the}pesi- ton that I now hold on the active list of the army. therefore respectfully ask 10 be retired from active service and to he placed on the retired list, uu- der section 124S of the revised statutes. Very respectfnlly
 "F. C. AINSWoRTH,
 "Adjutant General"
 This letter was submitted by Sena- toy Warren 10 Acting Adjutant General Mccain. It passed successfully through the hands of Gen. Leopard Wood, chief of staff and Secretary Stimson and finally was submitted to the President
 Taft Grants Request
 President Taft promptly forwarded the following note to Mir Stimson: "To the Secretary of War:
 Upon his own application, Mai. Gen. F. C. Aainsworth. the adjutant general. Is hereby retired under section 124s R. S.. and the proper order may be issued.
 (SignedD "WM. II. TAFT Secretary Stimson instructed General Wood as chief of staff to issue the neces- sary official order. This directed that General Ainsworth was officially retired upon his own application and instruct- ed him Co proceed to his home. The or der closed with the words. the travel directed is necessary in the military ser- vice
 As retired officer Of his rank. General Ainsworth will draw an annual salary of 5000 He will lose his allowance of pay of S2000 which he had while on active duty
 Charges Quashed
 The voluntary application for retire ment by General AlhsWofth puasnes any charges against him
 The unexpected turn of events. which came late in the afternoon put an end to the departments preparation for the couitmartial Earlier in the day tele- graphic inquiries had been made of half dozen retired officers of high rank if they were prepared to serve while instructions had been sent to a line officer outside of Washington to report at once, presum- ablv to officiate as judge advocate of the court. Judge Advocate General Crowder also had been busily engaged in putting in legal form the charges against the ad- jutant general
 There was much surprise and some con- sternaton among General Alnsworth's
 
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