The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-02-15
POLITICAL PULL"
SAVED MAJOR RAY,
SAYS INVESTIGATOR
lChairman Helm Will Find
!. Out Why Officer Was
X Not Court-Martialed.

CharacterizinG the War Department
o. q political adjunct to the Presi-
dency," Chairman Helm, of the House
Committee investigating the Major Ray
case. gave an interview today In which
he scored the manner in which the al
legged political pull of Major Ray had
prevented his court-martial on serious
charges.
"The war Department is going into
politics and the sooner the country
knows about It the better" said Chair
man Helm.
Men without morals have been
placed in the War Department because
they have assisted in the election of
Presidents, and because of the ability
TO swing votes. The most serious fea-
tnre OF the Ray case is that 1t shows
that politicians have received appoint
ments as officers in the United states
army. They have been placed in some of
the most vital divisions Of the service
1.-THE paymaster's department - and
charged with the proper disbursement
of funds appropriated by Congress-.
These appointments have been made
as the reward for political services
rendered. The army has no place in
politics.
WOulQ MAKE CaCLS EuunC.
VT any officer of that Organization
has been engaged in politics. as 1t
has been 80 said that Major Ray was
engaged, the country should know 1t
Immediately.
"The House committee is not at
tempting to investigate particularly
the alleged immoral conduct of Major
Ray, but 1t Is undertaking to show
\the disastrous effect which will result
in army officers participating in pol
itics.
"The committee places emphasis on
the fact that in three instances 1t Is
said that Major Ray has handled the
! funds entrusted to him in such man
ner as to justify court-martial, but
he has been whitewashed by the
President. What do you think of
that?"
Major Ray and other officials Of the
War Department, according to the pres.
ent plans of the committee, will be call.
ed to explain why there was no court.
martial on charges which Brigadiel
General Whipple has told the House
committee justified a court-martial.
A sensational and at the same time
pathetic document is the now public
letter written to General Whipple by
Major Rays clerk, in which the subordi
nate says that he discovered aftel
months Of trusting blindness that tn,
relations Of his wife and Major RAJ
were Illicit.
Asked for Transfer.
Asking a transfer to other duty, and
Declaring that every time look Majo
Ray in the face want to kill him." tn,
lArlF la 90
an assignment that would remove hin
ter written from Atlanta, June Is, 1910
and afCerward kept from the records o.
the War Department by order of tn,
President, says in part:
! II nave loved and honored my wife
above everything else on earth, have
trusted her as implicitly as would my
mother. and you can readily see to just
what desperation 1 have been driver
when I write this communication.
have probably been partly to blam,
for what has happened. by allowing
Mrs. - to be in Major Rays com,
pany to the extent that she has, bu
in extenuation of this fact have only
10 say that I trusted her to the extern
that. did not think 1t possible sh,
could do wrong.
within the past few days somethins
cannot mention forced me to the be
lief that there was something wrong
Last night I had an all-night talk will
my wife and she finally confessed t
me that she had on several occasions
been intimate with Major Ray-tha
from the first few months that I wa
assigned to him he had forced his at
tentions on her, had done everything
IN his power to make her untrue to me
but that up to the time of our leaVinl
Honolulu she had repealed him, think
ing she could easily keep him at a dis
lance and not telling me because sh
hat HhA Av-f- \
% take care of herself, and as our re
Iations were pleasant and we Away
seemed sure Of pleasant station, etc.
etc, she kept the matter to herself.
Disloyalty Shown Clerk.
"The arguments he used were par
ticularly contemplate and disloyal. t
me, he stating that 1t was only a ques
ton of time until l lost my position OIL
account Of my debts-that when I diC
lose my place he would see that sh
never needed anything, ETC., etc. TIL
details are sickening. and cannot brin
myself to write more along these lines
except to say that since then he ha
continually importuned and annoye
Der, making all sorts of promises an
threatening that he would ask for
different clerk and make me lose m
position II she did not comply with hi
demand. My wife Is really but a chill
in experience, being eleven years m
Junior in age, naturally of a trustin
and confding disposition, and, although
or course, can see there is no excus
Tor her actions, yet there are certai
eNtenuattng circumstances. Major Ra
insisted upon our coming to Chicago e
route to Atlanta, and at the time ! won
dered why 1t was-it is clear to m
now. The husband Is always the las
to suspect, II Is said, and several time
different people have mentioned to m
that the major and Mrs. - were tc