The Washington herald., 1918-08-07
/ Army and Nay yNeyEsA NeyyEsAt:
Best Service Column in tie Civ

Gen. Pershing. in a cablegram to
the War Department. has corrected
an error in the American communique
OF July 8, whereby thirteen officers
and men Of the Marine Corps were
listed as having cen awarded dis
tinguished service crosses postum
mously, whereas. the names should
have ben listed with those who sur
vived the engagement in which they
distinguished themselves.
The error. the War Department an
nounces, whas due to the omission Of
q paragraph OF the communique.
The officers and men incorrectly
listed. were:
Capts. Keller E. Rockey and John
II. Fay. First Lieut.. Edward B. Hope.
Past Assistant Surgeon Richard
O'Shea, Surgeon Paul T. Dessez,
Sergt. Mai. Carl J. Norstrand. Sergt
Charles F. Hoffman. Gunner Henry
L. Hubert. Corps. Arnold d. Goodbey
and Prentice S. Green. and Private
John Kukoski.
1t is confidently expected. II pres
ent indications may be depended
upon that Brig. Gen. Merritte W.
ireland. medical corps, national
army (colonei. medical corps. regu-
lar army, now with Gen. Pershing
as chief medical oficer. will be
made surgeon general OF the army
on October when Mai. Gen. Cor
gas. reaches the retiring age. 1t is
known that the regular medical Of
ficers on duty abroad. both senior
and junior to Gen. Ireland, favor his
appointment and that Gen. Pershing
strongly indorses il. Aside from this,
Gen. ireland is on the list for pos
sible appointment as assistant sur
geon general. with rank Of major
general, for service abroad during
the present war" as provided in the
act of July 9. 1918. In view Of the
fact that all proposed promotions
in the personnel under Gen. Per-
shing are referred to that officer for
approval before they are made, IL
is natural to assume his indorse-
ment of Gen. Ireland's selection as
surgeon general will take prece-
dence of any action on the appoint
ment as assistant surgeon general
1t is eminently desirable for the
War Department to have at its com
mand the services of General Gorgas
after his retirement. but IL is equally
necessary that there should be ap-
pointed as his successor as surgeon
general, to which ONCE he is not
eligible for reappointment an oficer
OF rank, ability, and experience who
is a member OF the permanent per-
sonnel Of the regular medical corps,
as must be the case under the law.
and there Is no necessity for dwelling
specially on the fact in these columns
that General ireland meets in all re-
spects these qualifications. 1t is with
in the bounds Of speculation that IL
General Ireland Is appointed surgeon
general, and II II is desired TO con-
tinue him on duty in France. General
Gorgas might be kept at the head Of
the medical department as acting"
surgeon general. This would afford
opportunity. moreover. TO have two
major generals OF the regular depart
ment in France-General Ireland as
surgeon general and some other officer
Of the regular corps appointed TO filI
the place Of assistant surgeon gen.
eraI with the rank of major general.
Such q situation exists in the quar-
termaster corps, where General
Rogers has been appointed quarter
master general and General Wood re-
mains as acting quartermaster gen.
eral, the Secretary Of War having
stated this status will be maintained
for the time being.
In the case Of an enlisted man, for
merly of the 3e6th infantry, and now
deceased, the question arose as to the
legality OF the soldiers discharge.
Prior to February 26. 1918, the soldier