The sun., 1916-09-03
WILSON INDIGNANT
AT ARMY TATTLING
Orders Inquiry to Find Ont
who Disclosed Pcrshing's
Advice on Mexico.
ONE WITNESS EXAMINED
".Army and Navy Journal"
Man Says He Got News Be-
fore Washington Did.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2-Pres!dent Will
son. apparently angered because unp'eas-
ant facts are being disclosed to the pup
lie in Connection with the stay OF Amer'-
can troops In Mexico. has ordered ar IN
voe.ieation by a board Of army onicers
70 ascertain. II possible. who Ia giving
away secrets Of the Administrations.
The board IL composed Of Judge Ad-
VIC, ate Gen. Crowder, Adjt.-Gen. Mccain
and Lieut.-Col. Andrew brewster. who
represents the Inspector General. The
case which the board Is now Investigate
ing concerns the recent telegram which
Gen. Funston sent TO the War Depart
ment recommending that Gen. Pershtng's
command be withdrawn from Mexico.
This telegram was not intended Tor
publication. Both President Wilson ana
officers Of the State Department intended
to conceal II. partly because II CONNECTED
with the information which the war De-
partment was giving ont for public con-
-u.nrtion and partly because II exposed
the fact that the retention Of Gen. PERISH
ing's command In Mexico had no mill
tary Significance. but was purely for po-
iitical reasons dictated by the White
House. The President now wants TO
Know why and nov the War Department
permitted the public to learn OF Gen.
Funston's telegram.
correspondent E.amined.
Az to-day's session OF the board the
man who disclosed his ne~s was cross
examined. He is !. h Johns. Washing
ton correspondent OF the Army and Nary
journal. "A service paper. Mr.. Johns
stood by his guns under examination. and
told the board that the first news OF Gen.
Funston's plea to the War Department
TO withdraw Gen. PershinEs command
came to him direct from the border.
An officer whose name IL not divulged.
but whose Judgment IL respected
throughout army circles. told Mr.. Johns
in effect that there was no military rea-
son IN the world for keeping the Ameri-
can troops in Mexico. The health re-
ports. he showed. clearly indicated that
the regular army was suffering In rom
parison with 'he less seasoned troops OF
IN. militia simply because they were
amlessly kept In an unhealthy country,
mot IA Second Lieutenant Of the Ma
tional Guard would be so reckless OF his
reputation as to recommend that Perish
ing's command ne kept in M.Ai'o.' ;H.s
communication stated.
The force o. this and other arguments
used was freely recognized by the board,
bu; the officers are chewing orders higher
up and doing their duty. The board
wanted to know whether one had
shown Mr.. Johns the te,l'alc telegram
from Gen. Funston. Mr.. Johns explained
that even before tina. telegram was re-
ceived here he had known that the re-
tenticn OF the American troops In Men
:ro was causing widespread coinmen
among all the military authorities or
the border. In fact. one OF the San An
tonic ewspapers learned OF Gen. Fun
ston's telegram before Il reached here
and printed It's purport.
other correspondents. In
Guiding those who reproduced Mr.. Johns
story. will be examined by the board. II
l. desired by the President that tht
board &c, AT the bottom Of The matter.