The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-08-27

I eraI Wood upon, his military future. 1 The impression has been general in Washington that, in the event of war l Involving this country, General Wood i would be placed in command of the 1 Armies of the United States in the fleld. After the landing of the Ameri- can forces at Vera Cruz, when it seemed that war with Mexico might result, it was understood in Washing ton that Gene1a1 Wood would be plac- ed in field command. The Platts- burg affair has raised doubt in Wash l ington whether the ranking command 1 in the field would be given to General Wood in a hostile emergency.
 What aroused friends of the Ad- ministrationA in General Woods case was that this was the second time within the last six months that his re- lationship to the national defense welt is actively identified, had been the occasion of a, letter of warning or reprimands from Secretary Garrison. On March IT last Mir. Garrison felt called upon to send an official letter to General Wood telling him to shun the American Legion, then being form ed, and warning him that it was re- garded as improper for army officers tU mix in such 3. movement, although the War Department approved it's dlI1S. AL InaCs I1I10 STGnGTalt w OOQ, Tn letters to the Secretary of War, ex- plaineds that he had merely told his aid to assist in the preparation of ap- Rlication blanks for the Legion. @ General Wood has many friends here. He is regarded by them as splendid example of a, competent, us1- to7date general officer, and as one who has done remarkable service in reorganizing the army and in seeking to place the nation in a better condi- ton of military preparedness. That Secretary Garrison admired these as evidence of it attention has been called to the refusal of MT. Garrison, early in the Wilson Adrnf illustration, to coWpiy with the request Of Chairman Hay of the House Military Committee to transfer General Wood from the office of Chief of the Army General Staff to other duty. When General Wood was relieved of the General Staff detailsi it was in compliance with the requirements of the so-called tManchu law, providing that norof- ficer shall serve more than four years in every six on special staff duty or duty away from his command.
 An Embarrassing Position
 General Woods friends are under stood tot feel that he was placed in an eTn nbarrassing position in connection with Colonel Roosevelt's willingness to address the military students of Plattsburg Colonel Roosevelt and General Wood were intimate friends in Washington when the one was a. Civil Ser~ice 0omnissi oner and later Assistant Secretary of the Navy and the other was a surgeon in the army. The CoIonelcy of the Rough Riders was offered to CoIenel Roosevelt but he persuaded President Mckinley and Secretary <SA1ger to give the place to General Wood, then a Captain and Assistant Surgeon, and himself took the post of the Lieutenant Colonel. in the bitter fight made to prevent General woods promotion to Major General, Colonel Roosevelt stood by him staunchly.
 Tn addition it was pointed out that Colonel Roosevelt had been President of the United States and as such Com mander in Chief of the land and naval forces, and was for that reason de- serving of special consideration and honor when he appeared at the PIattsburg camp. As it was put today, once the Colonel was started on his speech at PIattsburg. General Wood could not have stopped him.
 The reprimand to General Wood marks still further tightening of the ban of the Administration against participation by Army and Naval of ficers in public discussion of the war in Europe, or of national defense,
 
 War Department. The first proai- bition was against granting inter views Later an officer participated in discussion at club but his re- marks got into print. This led to the issuance of second order by Major General Hugh L.. Scott. Chief of the General Staff of the army, on Feb IS, last which read:
 The Secretary of War is con-
 vinced that the best interests of
 the service are preJudiced by the
 appearance in public prints Of
 interviews, statements. discus
 sfons or articles by officers of
 the Army on the military situa-
 ton here or abroad. and he, .ytherefore, directs that all officers
 refrain tf1erefrom until further
 orders in the premises.
 The telegram of reprfmand to Gen eraI Wood shows that the War De- partment now takes, the position that it is improper for an Army officer to afford the opportunity to any one outside the service to make speeches under Army auspices, on any matter excepting that which is essen tial to the purposes of the Army gatherings.
 WOOD MUM ON REPREN1AND. 1