The Washington herald., 1914-01-20
WALLER SLATED
FOR PROMOTION
Cabinet Will Select Him as
New Head Of U. S. N. c.
at Meeting Today.
MEANS END OF CONTEST
President to Send His Nomination to
Senate as Successor to Gen.
W. p. Biddle.
MEANS END OF CONTEST

Followiux the Cabinet meeting this
morning, President Wilson probably VIII
send TO the Senate the nomination OF Col.
Littleton w. T. Waller. to be major zen
erai. commanding the United States MA
rine Corps. Secretary Daniels VIII recom-
mend the promotion OF Wsner .ne
Cabinet meeting. The selection OF Col
waller will end long drawn-out race
for the promotion. which finally setfieo.
by n process of elimination. TO q contest
between Col Waller and Col. George
Barnett. u. S. NJ. c.. commandant at the
naval barracks, Philadelphia. Col. Waller
now is commandant at the Mare Island
(Cal) barracks.
The promotion is TO hll the vacancy
caused by the resignation last fan Of Gen.
william p. Biddle.
VIII Wipe Slate Clean.
The promotion of Waller will wipe from
the slate the effects of a military expert
ence which at least once has prevented
HIS promotion, but which, In the opinion
of his friends and associates In the army
and navy. throws nothing OF doubt upon
a brilliant record. Waller has the most
distinguished military record In the Ma
rine Corps. IL not in the entire military
service.
He was commended by his commanding
general several Jul Nhe . AAA@F
pines campaign, was breveted heuten-
ant colonel for conspicuous sallantry In
action during the Boxer uprising. and
was publicly thanked and decorated by
Vice Admiral Lord Charles Beresford,
commanding the British forces before
Pekin and presented with a handsome
gun by the japanese government, in
recognition of his service In saving from
possible annihilation bodies OF British and
Japanese troops in an action before the
Chinese stronghold.
The incident which caused President
Roosevelt to turn him down when he
came up for promotion resulted from q
march across the island OF Samar, one
Of the Philippines group. in 1901. With
a small body of marines. a few natives,
and ten days provisions. Waller started
across upon orders from Gen. Jacob
Smith. During the march. which con-
sumed forty days. during much Of which
the troops were with little or no food.
some Of the natives were charged with
treachery and with the death OF several
marines. At the conclusion of the march.
a drum-head court-martial was held and
eight OF the natives sentenced to be
shot, the sentence being executed a few
hours later.
Waller Acquitted Of Charge.
For this Waller was court-martialed
and acquitted with honor. Gen. Chaffee
later commencing him in dispatches.
President Roosevelt refused him promo
ton largely because OF this incident.
however. Before Col. Biddle was pro-
moted. Waller was in line. and accord
ing to general report. his nomination
was written out and on President Taft's
desk, ready for transmission to the Sen
ATE the following day. The report has
IL that Senator Penrose caused Taft to
change from his original purpose In favor
OF Col. Biddle, who belongs to the famous
Philadelphia family of that name.
As a result largely OF his own efforts,
Walters tenure as commanding ofYicer OF
the marine corps will be OF but four
years duration instead OF stretching to
the retirement age. Waller fathered the
bill which restricts the tour Of duty 10
four years, and the bill has been passed
within the last month
Waller was born September q. 1856, and
appointed to the marine corps in June,
1850. He is a Virginian by birth.