Rocky Ford enterprise., 1914-05-08
BOLD men IN LEAD.
WOOD, BELL AND FUNSTON HAVE
ALL BEEN GIVEN MEDALS OF
HONOR BY CONGRESS.
WON BY PERSONAL BRAVERY
Something About the Careers of These
Three Generals of the United
States Army, Again In
Active Service.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


Washington.-On the day that Pres
ident Wilson addressed congress, ask
ing that 1t support him in the use OF
to bring about order in Mexico. three
officers of the United States army.
Major Generals Leonard Wood and ].
Franklin Bell and Brig Gen. Freder-
lex Funston. were notified that their
services might be required as com
manding officers Of an army of inter
vention If Intervention were to come.
All three officers are medal-of=honor
men.
In order to win medal of hon
or of the kind which these three
generals wear. an officer must per
form some act of conspicuous per-
sonal gallantry and the act must be at
tested by .eye-witnesses. Congress
awards the medal
General Wood, who is named as the
chief of the prospective army of inter
vention, is known as a great execu-
tive and as great pacificator. His
service In Cuba in the work of bring
Ing about order in that island. added
to his service as colonel of the Rough
Riders caused President Mckinley to
make him a brigadier general There
was some criticism of this rapid pro-
motion. and curiously enough. to this
day 1t seems that the majority OF
American people think Theodore
Roosevelt promoted General Wood.
At the time of Woods promotion
Roosevelt was governor of the state
of New York.
Bell One Of the Most Daring.
There is no use in mincing words;
Major General Bell is considered one
of the most daring and dashing OIL
GERS in the American service. He
wears medal OF honor for charging
"single-handed and alone" body OF
armed Filipinos. He was shot at re-
peatedly from every quarter. In army
parlance. they didn't get him." but
he got seven of them. not dead but
alive. and he led back to the Ameri-
can lines his septet OF prisoners all
covering under his pointed pistol.
though every man jack of them was
armed.
When the Seventh cavalry. in which
General Bell was then a lieutenant,
reached the Philippines. the Spanish
troops were still in possession. for
Dewey had reduced the feet, but not
Manila city and its immediate de-
fenses. Information was wanted con
corning the Spanish earthworks.
Lieutenant Bell volunteered to get 1t.
He did not tell any one how he was
going to get it. His method was dar-
ing and novel.
Bold Feat at Manila.
Under cover of darkness he went
to the water front. stripped off his
clothes and plunged In. He is a pow
erful swimmer. On that night he
swan the entire distance around the
bay, landing now and then to get a
close look at the enemy's waterfront
Notifications. He did. this unseen of
any sentinel. II discovery had come
It meant almost certain death to the
swimmer. He came back to his start
Ing point with full knowledge of the
strength of the Spaniards in heavy
sault came the Information was of
priceless service.
Brigadier General Funston is forty
nine years of age. He has been In
the service only since May. 1898. when
he was commissioned as colonel of
the Twentieth Kansas infantry. He
won his medal of honor In the Philip
pines when he crossed river on a
frail raft exposed all the way to a con-
centrated fire from the Philippine
enemy.
As to the Philippines.
One OF the best evidences perhaps.
II one may say it with "a twinkle"
that the Philippine. islands are advanc-
ing under the American rule is to be
found in the charges which are being
made daily by some men that the civil
service law is being violated in the
land of our wards.
For some time past the administra-
tion of affairs in the Philippines has
been the subject of severe criticism
from men who under former admins
trations held office in the islands. 1t
is insisted that American employees in
high positions are being discharged
without reason and that other things
are being done counter to the spirit of
progress and good government.
The administration in Washington
has in its hands a completely prepared
defense against the charges which
have been made, but the question is
whether or not President Wilson and
his secretary of war. in whose depart
ment the control of Philippine mat
ters largely is lodged, will care to
make an issue of the matter unless 1T
goes farther than 1t has gone. 1t seems
to be today in some cases a plain
question of veracity between the men
who make the charges and those who
are ready to answer them.
There are so many charges made
IL int tix.r, az ffai -. In