The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1912-02-16
ADJ. GEN. Of THE
Army IS OUSTED
ONTAFT'SORDE
Conduct ''Preiudicial to Good
Discipline and Insubordina-
ton" Is Charged
Action Is Result of Long Strife
Between the Line and
the Staff
He Was Strong Advocate of
Powerful Bureaus to Direct
War Moves

rHASHINGTON. Feb. 15.-Major
AA General Fred C. Ainsworth,
" adjutant general of the army,
was stripped of his office to-
day by order of President Taft. and
will appear before a court martial on
charges said to embrace conduct preju-
dicial TO good order and discipline and
INSTRUMENTATION.
His relief from duty was brought
about in letter to him from the secre-
tary of war. which bristIed with sharp
criticism.
General Ainsworth's removal is con-
sidered the outcome of many years of
struggle for control between the line
and the staff of the army. Major Cen
eral Leonard Wood, chief of staff, leads
a contingent which believes control
should be delegated to those officers
actually in touch with the fighting
strength. Others. among whom Cen
eral Ainsworth was a leading figure.
had contended that supervision should
be vested with the heads of powerful
bureaus.
the first that ever has occurred III the
Office of the adjutant general, caused
sensatio in army and congressional
circles. Il was made the subject of
heated exchange on the floor of the
house. where the army appropriation
bin was being debated. Neither Gen
eral Ainsworth nor other army or de-
partment officers or officials would dis
cuss it.
Friction Long Continued
The action of the, president was
taken after several eonferences With
Secretary Stimson. For some time
there has been friction between the
adjutant generals Office and that Of the
chief of staff. Clashes were not un-
common, and there was almost a total
lack of co-operat ton. The bad feeling
eliminated when General Ainsworth, in
reply to Secretary Stimson's request for
some statistical information. made such
answer that the secretary felt con-
strained to accept it as a reflection
upon his own integrity. and upon that
Of other high officers of the depart
ment.
Secretary Stimson's letter Of sus-
pension. which was delivered TO Gen
eraI Ainsworth this morning. took up
incidents as far back as October. 1909.
in which the secretary held the adju-
tant general had been unduly caustic
in criticising his superiors.
Beginning with last December the
secretary refers to his order to the
adjutant general to submit to the chief
of staff of the army his opinion on a
proposal to abolish the present muster
roll and to modify certain other rolls.
I'm reply to this order" says the
secretary. you submitted to the chief
OF staff on February 5 a memorandum
dated February g. In this paper you
impugn the fairness and Intelligence
of the secretary of war under whose
authority the proposition in question
was submitted to you. You also crit
icize and impugn the military capacity
fairmindedness and finally question the
honor and good faith Of the officers of
the general staff and the war college.
whose plan you were directed to dis
cuss."
The secretary then quotes the ad-
jutant general as having added that
the statement was submitted with the
confident expectation that when other.
if not wiser counsels shall prevail.
the statement would receive the con-
sideration that may not be given it
now
In his letter the secretary calls at
tention to an attack made upon the
chief of staff in the same statement
Letter Is Reviewed
Quoting General Ainsworth's memo
randum. the secretary reviews in his
letter the following:
There are other grave objections to
the proposed plan that might be stated
but If those that have been pointed
out are not suficient to carry to the
minds of those with whom the decf-
sion of this matter now rests, the con-
viction not only that 1T is most mad
visable ever to intrust to incompetent
amateurs the management of busi-
ness that is Of nation wide import
ance. and that can only be managed
prudently. safely and efficiently. by
those who long service has made ex-
perts, then It will be worse than use
less to present further facts or figures
here"
Going back to October, 1909, secre-
tary Stimson discusses another memo
randum written by General Ainsworth
relating to a proposition made by an
other general staff officer. The memo
randum reads:
life is too short to permit of wast-
ing any portion of it in discussing with
or for the benefit of any one whose
conception of the underlying principles
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