The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-06-21
AIMED At GEN. WOOD
Army Bill Clause Would Gust Him
as Chief of Staff.
RESULT OF LONG FRICTION
Fellow Officers Now Generally Admit
Excellent Qualities of Former Sur
seon-Pershing May Be Super
intendent of Academy.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

intendent of Academy.
By GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.--If congress has It's
way Major General Leonard Wood
will cease to be chief of the general
staff Of the United States army on
March 4 next. This story of the posi-
bility or probability of General Wood
being deprived of the chieftainship OF
the general staff is curiously interest
Ing, and 1t involves troubles in the
army, resentments in other places,
and even possibly a desire TO get
even personally"
Today General Wood Is the ranking
officer on the active list of the Ameri-
can army. For years in the war de-
partment there was friction between
the adjutant generals department, of
which General Ainsworth was the
head, and some of the other depart
ments. The matter was brought to a
crisis when General Ainsworth was
suspended temporarily from command
IN order presumably that an investi-
cation Of the troubles might be made.
Then General Ainsworth asked to be
placed on the retired list and this was
done and it was thought that further
trouble was to be avoided.
Many of the members of congress
sided with General Ainsworth and they
seemed to think that General Wood
was In way responsible for the
bringing of matters to head and the
forcing of the retirement of the ad-
jutant general. So it was that at the
last moment, while the committee of
the two houses was considering the
army bill, provision was inserted by
one of the house members that no
man, after March 4 next, should be
chief of the general staff who had not
served ter years In the line Of the
army. This would knock out General
Wood because he was staff officer
for a long time as surgeon with the
medical corps. The senate conferees
agreed with the house conferees and
the matter is now up to the senate
and house for sanction. It seems
probable that President Taft would
prefer to veto this proposition, but if
hegdoes he will have to veto the whole
army appropriation bill of which it is
part, and this he cannot we'll do.
General Woods Career.
Il was General Wood who was colo.
M Qf the Roosevelt Rough Riders,
III. Roosevelt himself being the lieu
tenant colonel, at the outset of the
Spanish war. Later, General Wood
was made brigadier general by Pres
ident Mckinley, and later still he was
promoted to major generalship by
President Roosevelt, and now he is the
ranking officer of the army. For years
the army resented what they called
the Intrusion" of General Wood into
the line, ranking as he did officers who
had seen long service in command of
regiments, but the feeling against
him In the army largely has passed
and army officers today say he is a
most efficient officer. The attempt of
congress to prevent his continuing in
the position which he now holds as
chief Of staff has aroused many ami
mosities and it is probable that this
one time surgeon will be looked upon
BY some people as q martyr to inim.
ical legislation.
It is said that Brig. Gen. John ].
Pershing is likely to be named as
superintendent Of the United States
military academy to succeed Major
Thomas H. Barry, who may take the
post of command at New York made
vacant by the death of Gen. Fred.
erick Dent Grant. Like General Wood,
General Pershing has had a phe-
nomenal rise in the army. Eight or
nine years ago when he was cap.
tain of cavalry circumstances gave
him command Of troops enough to
make brigade formation. He hap
pened to be the senior officer in the
field, and although he was only cap
tain, this gave him the command Of
considerable body of troops.
Pershine In the Philippines.
At that time certain savage in
habitants of the Philippines were de.
tying the American troops and COM
hitting depredations in what was
called the Lake Lanao region Of the
Philippines. Pershing took his brigade
into the field against them and did ex-
cellent service, putting down the up
rising and later pacifying the natives.
In one of his messages to congress Mr..
Roosevelt, who was then president, la
mented the fact that the law prevent
ed the president from promoting an
officer for good service from one grade
to another. He mentioned Pershing
by name.
When there was vacancy In the
rank of brigadier general. Mr.. Roose-
velt promoted Captain Pershing to fill
the place, promotion which jumped
over the heads of four or five hundred
senior officers. President Roosevelt
AID this same thing In another case