New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-26
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
MCReynoIdS Holds Military Pro-
motions May Be by Selection.
From The Tribune Bureau
Washinrfnn- Luna .

IFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington, June -.
DECISION IN RAY CASE.-The Attor-
ney General submitted TO the President
to-day an opinion Of great interest to the
military establishment and which may
revolutionize the long observed system Of
promotion. Attorney General McReynolds
in an opinion rendered in the now famous
! Ray case. advises the President that 1t is
within the province OF the Chief Execu-
| tive to make promotions in the military
| service by selection, and that he need not
promote Major Beecher Il Ray. of the
quartermaster corps, to the rank Of lieu
| tenant colonel. although Major Ray
stands at the head Of the list OF majors.
Opposition TO the promotion Of Major
Ray grows out of the fact that he is al
| legged TO have shown undue political activ-
ity during the Mckinley. Roosevelt and
| Taft Presidential campaigns.
President Taft caused an official inquiry
| into Major Rays record and II was de-
| ternined by the military authorities that
| he had not laid himself open TO court
martial. Mr.. Taft was Of the opinion
| by Attorney General Wickersham-that
the President was without authority TO
pass over Major Ray and appoint any
! Junior major 10 the rank of lieutenant
| colonel Accordingly, Mr.. Taft sent Major
| Rays nomination as a lieutenant colonel
10 the Senate, but IL was not confirmed
/ Secretary Garrison. at the instance Of the
| President, referred the case 10 the Attor-
ney General, with the result outlined.
OF course, the brqsd interest in this
| opinion rests upon the fact that there
| has long been emphatic opposition 70 pro-
motion in the military establishment by
| selection-an opposition which grows out
Of the fear that political influence may
come 10 play an undue part in such pro-
motions. even to the extent Of ignoring
military qualifications and creditable SER
vice-a situation which II is believed
would prove disastrous 10 the spirit and
welfare OF the army and navy.
Mr. McReynolds finds in the Constitu-
ton itself the authority for his opinion.
He makes the deduction from its Ian
guage that inferior officers" are Of two
classes-those the selection Of whom Con-
gress specifically delegates 70 some officer
Of the government other than the Presi-
dent and those regarding which no such
delegation is made Officers OF the mill
tary establishment he finds 10 be IN the
latter class. and he asserts that the nomi-
nation Of such officers rests solely in the
discretion Of the President. subject OF
course. to the advice and consent Of the
Senate.
There is no intimation that the Presi-
dent will avail himself Of the power TO
make promotions other than by seniority.
except in the case Of Major Ray, whose
record Is regarded as al least uhsdtls-
factory. but the opinion OF the Attorney
General IS regarded sufficiently bioad 10
leave IL wholly in the discretion OF the
President whether he shall or shall not
employ his prerogative In other Instances.
ORDERS IssUED-These army and
navy orders have been issued:
ARMY.
Captain LEWIS NJ ADAMS, corps % en-
gineers from % Battalion OF Engineers
detailed 70 enter next elass An! letH
Engineer School. September !. Fort LeaN-
Captain WILLIAM 5 SHIELDS. m.diea!
corps, from Columbus BARRACKS, assignee
Fort Omaha. 10 Texas CITY. for duty Win
FIRST Lieutenant WILLIAM r. POPE. cav
airy. from Gettysburg 20 proper ''ation'
FIRST lieutenant HAROLD GEIGER, coast
artillery. from signal Corps AVlatlon
School, san Diego, 70 Honolulu. -nr-o..
Second Lieutenant LEWIS III. bREBE 4O".
coast artillery from signal corps assignee
ll5th Company. Coast Artillery $500, -
Leaves OF absence Captain WlLLIAA i.
DAVIS medical corps, four months from
Tuiv / second Lieutenant CLIFFORD
BLUEMEi, 24th Infantry. tweni} -hye
DAYS. second Lieutenant ROBERT 9.
GOETZ, Sd Field ARTILLERY. two months ,,.!1s
From July !. First Lieutenant EDMJ Nd
s BUCHANAN. "a Cavalry. one month
NAVY
Lieutenant B. c. ALLEN. TO tho Naval
15eUteTsni O. S. BRYAN detached the Yer
mont: home. wait orders. -
Lieutenant Junior srade) J S. BARLEoN.
70 the Naval Academy ,JuIy IUoorr 60
Lieutenant Junior gade) j. 4 SUIT 10
the Naval Academy. ,.,.y.,s
Lieutenant Ounior Fade) o. ". RAVENS
CROFT detached the ylTgihiha IA, naya'
Frsign G NJ DOLAN. detached the New
Jersey. Naval Hospital, Las Aninas' 49,.
Ersirn + e. BEISEI. detached the mis-
souri,. Naval Hospital Las AniinAs.
Ensign NJ a. LEAHY detached the Arkan-
sac. assistant supervisor OF naval Auhi'-
Assistant Paymaster ARTHUR MIDDLE
TON. orders June revoked detached the
Denver ftklENatlpH I'N'AF'Ns 'NN'e'''~
Paymastcr CLERK y. r. WADE appointed; the
Paymaster clerk II. p. TIcHENoR. appointed;
the Milwaukee. the Charleston and The Chat-
'''''' MARINE CORPS.
Captain ]. s. TURRELL, orders May 2e re-
vokcd. ,, -. a.,
Captain ?. NJ. RIXEY. Jr. detached the dis
cipiinarv barracks Port Royal; command the
marine detachment. American Legation, Man
aqua Nicaragua. vice Captain + a
GREENE. TO the marine barracks, Norfolk
second Lieutenant y. M GARDNER. Jr, do
tacbed the marine barracks, Guam, LIST bri-
gade Marines. Philippines
MOVEMENTS OF ,WARsHIPs.-These
movements Of warships have been report
ed to the Navy Department;
ARRIVED.
June zl-The Maryland. at Kodiak Alahka
| yune 24-The ATethusa at Norfolk fSTd; the
| ST Louis, at Astoria.
SAILED.
June 22-The Maryland. from Kodiak for CHG
| runs 24~Tne North Dakota, from New YORK
| ysrd for NeWrort. the Perry. from eah