New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-08-31
j. s. OBJECTS TO PAYING
FOR WOODS IS ROOMS
Controller Says Army Head Is
Entitled to Only Nine at
Fort Myer.

Washington, Aug. 3o-An investigation
OF disbursements for army quarters has
been suggested by the Controller OF the
Treasury as a result OF the discovery that
Major General Leonard Wood. chief OF
staff. occupies sixteen rooms NJ Fort
Mycr and that other officers at their
posts are also greatly exceeding the limit
allowed for quarters
! Much official correspondence on the SUD
! iect has recently passed between the nc
| counting officers of the Treasury Depart
ment and the military authorities' the
view OF the Controller Of the Treasury
being that many officers have been Al
lowed excessive sums for light and heat
and have been permitted TO have posses
sion OF more rooms than allowed.
The Controller Of the Treasury has re-
Gently discovered that 1t is the prac-
tice to allow commutation Of quarters 10
officers on duty without troops. at sta
lions where there are public quarters
upon certificates TO the effect that the
quarters are inadequate. fully occupied
or unavailable for assignment to ofi'cers'
Communication OF quarters has been pald 10
officers on duty at For. Myer under these
circumstances. Among others. Major Cen
eral Leonard Wood occupies sixteen
rooms. when he is entitled 10 only nine;
Colonel Garrard occupies thirteen rooms
when he is entitled to seven; Second Lieu
tenant Rumbaugh occupies nine rooms.
when he is entitled 10 two. \ large num-
Der OF officers occupy nine rooms each
when the allowance is not more than four
The widow OF an army officer Who acts as
postmistress occupies seven rooms. when
she is entitled TO none, and CIVILIAN
| ouartermastcr agent occupies six rooms.
when he il not entitled TO any.
The Controller believes that this IL a
question which should be taken up WIN
view 10 limiting the expenditures. lie
says in a communication on the subject:
THE conditions at Fort Myer and
Watertown Arsenal. Mass, with respect
| 10 quarters (Which. I understand are not
/ exceptionaD naturally suggest the inquiry
as to why single quarters suitable Tor use
/ Of but one officer and consisting OF six
| teen, thirteen and eleven rooms. are con-
structed at military posts when a heu-
tenant general IL entitled 10 only ten
! rooms. Also as 10 HHg AON' pN'' SN'" ~
nine-room quarters are constructed at
! a station where there is only one oiiicer
en- titled 70 occupy nine rooms as quar-
/ tiers, and why. at station where there
I are only six officers above the grade OF
| captain. and only three above the grade
of major, there are thirty sets OF quar-
| tcrs. consisting OF six or more rooms each.
However. the question OF construction
| of quarters or changes In construction 10
! provide quarters OF the size authorized ~
/ law Is not now before me, and the &C
counting officers have no jurisdiction or
control over the assignment of quarters.
The question whether or not there are
/ inhabitabe although undesirable. public
quarters, and all other questions involved
! In payment Of Communication. must be de-
cided by the Auditor or Controller In each
case. While they might prefer TO accept
the decision OF other officers. they cannot
shift their duty in this matter and must
accept certhcation of facts and conclu-
sions only so far az they believe the situ-
! alton iustIfes that course.