New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-07
GEN. WOOD SHARP
in REPLY TO BISHOP
Makes Public Letter to DR..
Greer on Latter's Wire
TO President.
AMAZED, HE SAYS,
AT MEASUREMENTS
Insists Praise for Legion Was
Unofficial - Clergyman De.
plores Fine Distinctions"

plores Fine Distinctions"
General Wood made public yester-
day his correspondence with Bishop
Greer relative to the latter's telegram
to the President and the Secretary OF
War, in which the Bishop protested
against the generals supposed lssu-
ance of American Legion propaganda
from his headquarters.
In the letters quoted below the gem
cral censures the action of the Bishop,
whom he frankly accuses OF mlsstate-
ment.
The first of the letters, which is
dated March 3, states that General
Wood had called the Bishops atten-
tion 20 the fact that his telegram to
the President had contained the mis-
statement that he. the general, had
issued American Legion propaganda
from his headquarters.
Il asked you TO correct It and give
me the source Of your information,
continues the letter. you replied that
the source Of your information and the
authority on which you based the
statement was the press only.
General Ccnsurcs Bishop.
81 expressed in strong terms my sur
prise and Indignation that one in your
position should have joined in issuing
so injurious statement without hav-
ing made the slightest inquiry of any
one at these headquarters, although
YOU were in direct telephone connec-
ton and only a short distance by mes
senger
Il wish herein TO reiterate my pro-
test and TO denounce in the strongest
possible terms this unwarranted at
tack made without even the pretext of
an investigation, and concerning a
subject on which you admit your pref
udice and admit your ignorance OF the
facts al issue.
THAT d man in your position should
have the temerity to sign telegram
to the President Of the United States
and the Secretary of War rejecting Sc
riously upon an officer IN my position
without even the preteXt of an inves-
tigation passes understanding"
The general in this letter lnclosed a
copv Of his telegram TO the Secretary
Of War, attacking the Bishops "auda-
cious misstatement."
The Bishop, in a reply Of the same
date. said he feared rat the public
might not be able 20 distinguish
whether General Wood Endorsed the
legion in his private, or in his official
capacity. ...,
81 understood you to say that when
Won we're spoken to and consulted about
the formation Of the legion you simply
said that it was a good thing, but that
in saving this you were speaking IN a
personal and not in an official capac-
itv. That. of course, is a possible and
legitimate distinction" but the Bishop
feared the American people might not
be able to make it.
On March 4 the general wrote that
the Question as to your lnterpreta-
ton of my verbal Endorsement OF the
legion is not under consideration by
me. nor was it made a point at issue IN
my letter Of Yesterday.
what | laid especial stress upon
and asked you to correct, was the un,
warranted statement made by you and
the members Of your league signing
the telegram to the President and the
Secretary Of War that ! had issued
propaganda from any army hc2dGuar-
tiers concerning the American Legion
81 do not find IN either Of your let
ters any reference 20 this, the real
point at issue namely, the correction
Of this misstatement and ! again re-
quest YOU to make the necessary cor
rection, and that your communication
making the correction be addressed as
was the one making the charge
Deplores Zine Distinctions"
The Bishop, on March 5, "deplores
! the necessity for making these fine dis
tinctions between personal and oihcia
approval" when, however, he con
tinucs, you definitely tell me you did
not issue propaganda from army
Headquarters concerning the orPanlzd'
ton known as the American Legion, !
/ of course, accept your statement with
| out question as that of man OF honor
| and believe implicitly what you say.
The legion secured new lndorse'
ment Yesterday, that of John II. Stew
art, chairman OF the American Peact
Centenary Committee. which number:
among its members President Wilson
/ former President Taft, Secretary OF
/ State Bryan. Secretary of the Navy
Daniels. Colonel Roosevelt, former Sen
ator Elihu Root and Joseph II. Choate
Mr.. Stewart sees good cause Tor the
! legion in the disclosure through The
I European war "of the fact that a pa
/ triotic conception Of his attitude e
/ this country is not always the posses
| sion OF the individual who takes hi:
! oath Of allegiance TO IT.
"The abuse to which native American
! citizens have been subjected by rela
| lively few Of the naturali7cd Nhyrhen-
/ ated) citizens of this country give.
many concern lest at some critIca
point in our future international rela
/ tionship we should be compelled to de-
tend ourselves against foes within a:
well as against foes without"