The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-17
War Department Drops lts
Court Martial Proceed
ing Against Him
CONGRESS, HOWEVER,
MAY ORDER PROBE
Former Adjutant General in
Position to Testify Before
Committee Without VI
Fear Of Discipline

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-Major
General Fred c. Ainsworth. until yes
terday adjutant general of the army,
today was retired from active service
In the army, upon his own application.
and the court martial proceedings
against him for INSTRUMENTATION SUD.
denly brought to an end.
Secretary of War etfmson late to.
day announced that the voluntary APP
plication OF General Ainsworth had
been accepted by the President. and
that all charges against HIM had been
Withdrawn.
While this brings to and end the
long conflict between Major GenerAl
Ainsworth and the general stan of the
army, 1t may not end the army scan
dial that was threatened when the
court martial was proposed. Congress
may order an Investigation of the
War Department. ana II so. General
Ainsworth will be called as the prtn.
cipal witness.
Had Two Motives.
1t Is said tonight that two motives
prompted General Ainsworth to ask
for retirement. In the first place II
is said he believed the court would
- packed" against him. and In the
second, he wanted to be in position
to testify before congressional conn
/ IuitteE us d EctlTto tdthcI tbaI
as mator general on the active Hist
and therefore subject to the penalties
of court martial.
| Incidentally. the War Department
feels vastly relieved at the turn the
Ainsworth incident has taken and the
, hope Is felt that this will end the
whole controversy. Secretary Stiimson
believes this brings to an end an at
fair that promised to keep his departs
ment In the limelisht for many weeks.
| The action Of General Ainsworth.
! in asking for retirement. came quite
as much az surprise to the War De-
parfment as did thu action OF the
president yesterday in suspendlng him
/ for 'insuboFdtnation and TOT insoleut
/ conduct te Hard hia superiorz. Tbs
belief prevailed throu9hout army cir-
Giles that the militant major general
would night to the last ditch for VIM
dication before court martial. and
he would reveal some things about tho
embarrassing.
/ Application is Gra-ted.
| In his letter to the acting. adfutant
general Of the army. applying for re-
tirement after 81 years of active SER
| vice. General Ainsworth said:
Having served continuously for
more than 81 years as commissioned
| Oncer OF the army. ana DelnY worn
with the heavy burden OF care and re-
! sponsibhMty that | have borne for
many of those years. | do not desire.
: In any circumstances to retain LONGER
| the position that / now hold on the
active list OF the army. / therefore
respectfully ask to be retired from ac-
tive service. and to be placed on tho
retired list under section l243 OF tho
/ Revised Statutes"
| In reply to this the President wrote:
| Upon his own annlication Major
General r. c. Ainsworth, the adjutant
general. Is hereby retired under Sec
ton l243 r. s., and the proper or.
g! der may be issued
Secretary Stimson then issued tho
following order:
by direction Of the president.
Major General Fred G. Ainsworth. the
| adjutant general of the army Is res
tired from active service upon his
own application. under the provisions
OF section l243. Revised Statutes. at
more than 81 years service. He will
proceed to his home. The travel d.
rected 10 necessary in the military SER
4 vice."