Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-08
No Regular Head for the Ad-
iutant Generals Office.
HERE TO TAKE PLACE
Unable to Do So, However, Until
Officially Authorized.
MCCAIN ACTING IN HIS STEAD
Department Awaiting Action o
President, But Unwilling to
Call Case to Attention.

! Brig. Gen. William 2. Hall, who be-
came the adjutant general of the army
by the retirement of Gen. Ainsworth
Z February To- is in a position re-
carded in army circles as peculiar.
. When Gen. Ainsworth was relieved OF
: duty pending the preparation of charges
against him for alleged INSTRUMENTATION
! the President directed that Col. Henry
p. Mccain. who was Gen. Ainsworth's
! chief assistant at the War Department,
. assume charge Of the Office of adjutant
j general and perform the duties of chief
!. of that office until further orders One
! effect of that order was to suspend the
/. operation of a previous routine order
/ which provided that Col. Mccain should
proceed to the Philippines when relieved
: at the War Department by Col. H. o. 8.
/ Heistand, who had been ordered from the
Philippines to Washington for that pur-
I pose at the instance of Gen. Ainsworth
!; before his relief. Consequently when
Col Heistand reported here few weeks
ago, after the departure of Gen. Aims
worth, he was assigned to the special
duty of inspecting recruiting stations and
Col Mccain continued to act as the ad-
jutant general
No Change IN Status.
ren- Haii, the legal successor or Gen.
Ainsworth, was in Europe on leave Of
absence at that time. His leave expired
the LIST instant. On that day he appeared
at the War Department and reported for
duty. He was in good health and said
he was ready for any service that might
be assigned him. 1t was generally as
sumed in military circles that he would
!, at once take up the duties of the head of
1 the adjutant generals department and
that Col Mccain would resume his for
mer status of chief assistant to the adju-
tant general, at least temporarily. Moth
ing of the sort occurred. however, and in
= fact. nothing whatever has been done to
change the status of affairs. The friends
OF Gen. Hall are wondering where he Is
at He is the adjutant general and Is
ready and fully equipped for duty, they
assert, but Is deprived of his proper off,
cial functions by a subordinate officer Of
his department.
Embarrassing to Mccain.
The position of Col. Mccain is equally
embarrassing. He recognizes Gen. Halls
rights in the matter. but Is unable to
transfer the duties Of the adjutant gen.
eral to him because the Presidents or
der of February ii directed him to remain
in charge until further orders" and there
have been no further orders"
Naturally the officials of the War De-
partment and of the general staff of
the army. cannot do anything to relieve
the situation. unless specifically author
lied by the President. and it appears
that there is Discrimination to even bring
the matter to his attention. Although
IT is believed that the President has no
desire to reflect on Gen. Halls capability,
IL Is an admitted fact that Hall is
deprived of his rightful Office through
no fault of his own.
Medal-of-Honor Man.
Gen. Hall is a medal-of honor man.
and has an unblemished record. He is
son-of-law of ex-senator Blackburn
Of Kentucky, and was appointed to the
United States Military Academy from
Missouri. Graduating from the Military
Academy in June. 1868, he reached the
.. grade of brigadier general in April,
1904 He served successfully in the in
fantry and cavalry. and in the adjutant
generals department. He will retire for
age June IL next, and his successor as
adjutant general will have to be ap-
pointed before that date.