The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-12-19
RESIGNATION ROW
GOES OFUNSTON
O'Ryan Sends Johnston's Letter
Quitting Twelfth To Depart
inent Commander for Action
Reported CoIoneI's 40 SubOrdi-
nate Officers Will Send Their
designations In Over His Head

While Major General Organ was
making his decision TO send the resig-
nation Of Col. Gordon Johnston, Of tn
Twelfth New York Infantry, to Major
General Funston, commanding the
Sonthern Department, the oaRcers OF
the regiment were taking steps to in
dnce their retiring commander to aP.
move their designations and to send
them through the military channels to
divisional Headquarters, says special
Aespatch 70 the New York Times from
.MeAllen, Texas, December ?. Although
Z Colonel Johnston still asserts he will
take no notion uopn the resignation of
his officers, II is reported that the let
fers Of the forty commissioned men OF
the unit will be sent 10 Brig Gen.
James W. Lester tomorrow without the
eolonel'p approval.
With Colonel Johnston's resignation
General Organ sent a memorandum Of
the circumstances Of the case and some
comment on the affair. The documents
were sent by mail today. What action
the department commander will take is
only niectural. 1t is pointed out that
Ne may forward the papers to the war
department without making public
comment.
Although the attitude at divisional
headquarters and among most of the
officers Of all regiments is to regard the
aetion OF the Twelfth as petulant,
there is no change In the determination
II the forty officers TO force their res
ignations and TO ''follOw the colonel. -
Ofieers of the regular Army, as well as
&C the militia, have Joined in disap'
provnl of the action of Maj. Gen. Leon
srd Moods former aid. Most of these
officers do not fail. however, TO praise
Colonel Johnston for his work in i'm
proving the standard Of his regiment,
making the organization one of the
best infantry comma nds in the divi'
sion.
II Is asserted among officers of the
regiment that the incident that has
caused the present stir is the culmina.
ton of several that showed friction be-
tween the regimental and divisional
STATS and only one circumstance OF
the antagnOstic attitude of the com.
handing general. Colonel Johnston =
action in exerting efforts at the head.
quarters of the southern department
to obtain clothing and equipment for
his regiment when the regular military
channels failed to work speedily and
friction In the divisional camp here over
additional supplies OF ordnance for the
,raining.of the men in the regular army
ranges are cited us proof of the un.
favorable attitude of the comma ling
general,
Then there is the belief that General
. Organ holds no high opinion or tue
military ability Of the officers of the
regiment, because, they say, in praising
tho regiment be spoke OF the ut con-
dition Of the enlisted men but so neg
lectsd TO mention the officers that they
we're led TO believe that the general
meant to disparage them.
3Golonel Johnston has not made any
extensive comment upon the affairs
lie Expresses only his determination Il
resign and to prevent his officers from
following him. Although the men of the
regiment support him enthusiastically
the attitude of the colonel is that hil
mon should refrain from any action
that would be prejudical to the dis
ciplfne Of the unit. His officers are co
operating In efforts TO convey TO the en-
listdd men the impression that theil
duty is to remain silent and inactive
in the affair. There is much resent
ment among the twelve hundred mer
toward Texas newspapers that desig
mated the organization as the "BOw
cry regiment" 1t Is pointed out tina,
most OF the men come from uptown
districts of New York.