Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1914-01-09
Gag Placed on
Army Officers
TO BE REQUIRED TO SUPPRESS
INFORMATION.
A DECREE BY GARRISON
Free Press Matter" to Be Discontinued
correspondence Between Secretary
OF War and General Wood.

Washington, Jan. S.-Officers of the
United States army hereafter will not
pc permitted to DISCUSS publicly
army matters of a debatable nature"
New regulations to cover this point are
10 follow an exchange of memoranda.
today between Secretary Garrison and
Major General Leonard Wood, chief of
staff, in regard to a published article
telling of free press matter furnish
ed to newspapers by Arthur W. Dunn,
q writer in the employ of the infan-
try association
Some of the matter referred to is
said to have dealt directly with the
main situation, though much of it was
made up Of interviews with officers on
the movement for a larger army and
OBJECTS of the infantry association.
Garrison's Memoranda to Wood.
In his memoranda TO General Wood,
Secretary Garrison said:
please look into the case sufficient
" to ascertain whether it is q fact
that officers of the army are furnish
ing matter to the newspapers con-
corning questions of policy that are
under discussion between the depart
ment and congress, or any other mat
ters not strictly within the line of
duty of such officers
'T feel very strongly that the best
interests of the country and of the
WOulu De served IL OIIlCSIS Oh Ine
army would not indulge in public de
bate or discussion or in any sort of
public propaganda, with respect to
army matters of a debataDle nature.
think one of the reasons for having
a civilian secretary of war so that he
would gather from all sources the
needs, requirements and other matters
connected with his department and
present them to congress for its action
and that it is unwise and inexpedient
for army officers, even for a laudable
purpose, individually or in collective
organizations, to carry on a propa-
ganda to influence legislation with re-
spect to any such matter.
Suggests New Regulation.
The mutual and reciprocal relations
between congress and the department
viii be very much better, in my view,
if on behalf of the department, all OF
its needs are solely voiced by or
through the secretary.
Il would like to suggest for future
consideration the formulation Of some
regulation which would advise the Of
ficers of the proper attitude which
think they should assume toward this
matter. Please, however, do not let
this DELAY your reporting on the i'm
mediate question called to your atten-
ton
Gen. Woods Reply.
General Wood replied:
with reference to the copy referred
to above: I have made inquiry Of Ma
jor Johnson, the editor Of the Infantry
Journal, with reference to the work oi
the Infantry association and find that
it has and is, employing Mfr. Dunn as
an agent in the publication of data re-
lating to the army, ,With view to
spreading abroad whst it believes tC
be valuable conformation
which should he in the hands of the
people. 7 am informed by Major John
son that they have limited the ma
teriaI circulated by them to embodying
the policy of the war department. Ma
jor johnson has been informed of your
wishes that all activities of this sort
be terminated, and he has assured me
that he will take the necessary steps
to bring about this end.
Will Frame Regulations.
'I will take immediate steps to pre-
sent to you for consideration regula-
tions which will advise the officers OF
the army of what the department con-
siders to be their proper attitude with
reference to discussion of matters per-
tanning to the service of publication
of articles concerning the same"