New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-07-25
GOVERNOR SUSPECTS
POLITICS IN GUARD
INVESTIGATION OF STATE MIL.
lTARY BOARD MAY OPEN
= PEOPLES EYES.
SECRETARY ERIC THORNTON IN
INTERVIEW GIVES VIEWS OF
SITUATION.

Governor J. A. A. Burnquist is almsot
persuaded that there is politics in the
Minnesota National Guard" Must be
the governor is the first man to make
such ridiculous discovery.
Quite few citizens of New Ulm, who
have had to do with the unsuccessful
attempts to thwart the work of the
politicians in the guard in breaking up
the three splendid military organizations
this city had year ago had their eyes
opened some time ago.
That. the governor is just learning
that there is politics in the National
Guard is rich. There's a we'll defined
idea here that the executives finger is
in the pie about as deep as any of them.
General Woods Case.
Last week the state military board
demanded the resignation of Adjutant
General Fred B. Wood, intimating that
Capt. W. F. Rhinow, military secretary
to the governor, would be appointed in
his place.
The Minneapolis Journal has learned
OF the governors suspicion and prints
the following:
Whether Adjutant General Fred B.
Wood will resign at the demand of the
war board, composed of line officers of
the national guard, is uncertain.
n General Wood, ill at his home, 992
Laurel avenue, St. Paul, was not better
and NO. action was taken toward comply
ing with the demand of the board.
tits said that if General Wood refuses
to resign and demand for his removal
is ss.tt ted to the public safety eol.-.
mission the investigation to follow will
not only include the question as to how
far national guard politics enter the de-
mand, but that the governor and the
commission will insist upon learning
what became of the equipment, for the
shortage of which General Wood has
been held responsible.
If the property has been lost, the loss
is said to have occurred chiefly thru
the habit that company commanders
contracted of borrowing various articles
to take the place of those the men of the
command had lost or destroyed at in
spection time.
1t is admitted that General Wood may
have been too willing to accommodate
these officers, but it is argued by Woods
friends that the borrowers should have
returned the equipment or they should
be required to report for it.
Governor is Suspicious.
Governor J. A. A. Burnquist said de-
velopments in the state military boards
attempt to obtain the resignation or
effect the removal of Adiutant General
Fred B. Wood from Office are expected
to be delayed until the general is suf-
fciently recovered from his present ill
ness to be able to resume his work at the
capitol.
General Wood was in bed today, it
was said at his Office, but his condition
was somewhat improved.
''The governor suspects that politics
have been played in the national guard
with respect to the appointment of Of
fcers," Eric Thornton, secretary to
Governor Burnquist, on being questioned
about rumor that the governor would
investigate guard politics, said today.
Mr.. Thornton would not say, how
ever, that such an investigation was
contemplated by the governor.
As to General Wood, he said: "I
have not heard that the governor sus-
pected the military board of playing
politics in its request for the removal
of General Wood nor that he believed
Captain w. F. Rhinow was involved in
whatever political appointments of off
GERS may have been made.
II believe the military board asked
the removal of General Wood because
it thought him incapable of handling
wartime guard affairs, altho he has done
we'll enough in time of peace
The governor has not said word to
me about any plan to investigate poll
tics in the management of Minnesota
guard affairs, and can not say anything
about it now.
i do not believe that the military
board is particularly interested in Cap
AN RhinoW and his name has not been
brought up in any such connection by {
he governor in anything I have heard
i'm say" /!