TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-09-20

in the higher grades of the ar
my. The list included the name
of Col. Carl Reichmann for pro-
motion to the rank of brigadier
general.
At the instance of Senator
Poindexter, Col. Reichmann's no
mination was held up, and the
Senate ordered an investigation
Of the charges against Reich
mann that he expressed SYM
pathy with Germany. (The re-
suit of this investigation was
that, according to recent dis
patches, the subcommittee OF
The Senate, with two votes
against one, recommended TO
confirm Col. Reichmann's pro-
motion.-Ed.)
1t should be noted that Reich
mann is the only German-Amer-
lean in the list Of nominations
and the only one whose con-
6rmation is held up. He IS rat
ed one OF the most efficient Of
hcers in the army list, as at
tested by the fact that he was
our military attach6 during the
Boer wal and again in the Rus
sian-Japanese war, when he was
accredited to the cars army in
Manchuria. He has also been
military instructor at West
Point, is a graduate Of the Ca
ealry and Infantry School, and
according to a Washington dis
patch to the New York Times,
his record for efficiency is Of
the best"
His only offense is that he IS
a German-American. By extgn-
sion Of the logical process by
which Senator Poindexter ar
rives at the conclusion that
Reichmann is unfit TO be a briga-
der general in the army, every
American Of German descent or
affiliation automatically is ex-
Guided from serving in any ca
pacity save as a private. 1t he
should, by efficiency and per-
sonal distinction in the service,
merit promotion, he would find
the Senate standing in his way
of confirmation to a place OF
command. With the decision
reached in the Reichmann case
the status Of COMMUNICATIONS
will be officially determined
whether they are citizens in fact
OF only in name, and whether
they are entitled to the benefits
Of American citizenship or only
1T to bear the responsibilities
which attach to the designation.
The charge against Reichrnann Is
not that he is inefficient, but
that he has entertained con-
scientious sympatties.
We question the higher mot
ives of Senator Poindexter in
seeking to justify the fight
against Reichmann on a patriotic
motive. Not to do so would be
to impugn the patriotism OF the
President, who has undoubtedly
acted on the best advicea and
1nows whether Reichmann is to
be trusted with a command,
whatever the sentimental work.
ngs of his heart and mind
may have been. We are quail
led to judge from Washington
reports that such views as have
been attributed to Reichmann
have been entertained and shar-
ed by other officers of the Unit
ed States army and navy not
Of German birth or descent.
The animus against Reich
mann on the ground of his Ger
man birth goes back many years
before the war. Col. Reichmann
has been in the public eye bel
fore in a similar predicament
The New York Times, in its is
sue of November II, 1865
eleven years before we engaged
in the war--printed the follow
Refused admission as al
member OF the General Staff
of the United States Army,
as he alleges, because he was
born in Germany, Captain
Carl Reichmann, who until re-
Gently was a military INSTRUCT
or at West Point and a milf
tary attache representing this
country in Manchuria and
South Africa during the Rus.
sian and Boer wars, has writ
ten to a friend in this city re-
lating a series of suspicious
entertained BY brother officers
against him.
The letter and It's outcome