New-York tribune., 1918-05-29
Pershing Said
To Haze Kept
Wood at Home

Continued from page
lieving that the Administration could
nave done anything so stupid as first to
order Wood to France and then, Just
as he was about to start, relieve him
of command and order him to an unitn-
| portant post.
Wood Issue Raised Again
Tie administration does not like the
Wood issue and it has done just the
very things that will raise it in its
most acute form. 1t might have dis
posed of Wood on his physical exam
ination. 1t might have disposed of him,
with some protest, it is true, but with
out the protest that is now sure to be
raised, by ordering his division to
France without its commander. 1t
might have disposed of him by sending
quiet sector and leaving the censorship
that suppresses all division command
ers' names to do the rest. But in
the most public way it has attracted
attention to the question way Woods
conceded great abilities are not avail
able in the service of his country in
this national crisis. 1t is almost GER
tain that this question, which has been
knocking at the door ever since the
war began, will have to be admitted
Military Affairs Committee perhaps,
will ask it and get the answer
There is an old saying about sins
flndlng you out. This is case in point.
/ The Administration sins with regard
to General Wood keep finding it out.
When the war began General Wood
emergency called for the nations big
gest men: The Administration an
sswered it by debating whether to send
| Wood to Hawaii or Charleston. There
is good authority for saying that the
sins of the princes find them out, be-
cause princes lack the courage to be
thoroughly. bad The Administration
lacked the courage to send Wood to
Hawaii; and it should have been Ha-
in France. or the position of Chief os
Staff in Washington. The biggest man
in the army was put in the small job
at Charleston. He might have stayed
in Hawaii, but not in Charleston. 1t
was toe absurd not to use his abilities
in training troops. Once set to train
ing troops in Funston, he was on the
road to France. The public is not per-
mitted to forget a man like Wood.
That is one of the reasons why the sins
of an administration find it out.
OT8eQ Army OF 0,UUV,UUO
When he went to the Western front
a piece of she'll hit him. No other Wis
iting American general, only Wood, got
his name in print by being wounded.
When he returned to this country he
told the Senate Military Affairs Com
mittee that we must have an army of
100000 men. President Wilson has
just come to use that figure in a pub
lie speech. No other American gen
eral returning said anything about
100000 men. Only Wood. The fault
Of Wood is his size. He can't help see
Ing things and saying things in big
way. And, accordingly, every little
while the country asks, not insistently
perhaps, for the people are patient
"Why are we deprived of Woods SER
vices? 2"
A little while ago the Administra-
tion began to use the services of big
men. of Schwab, Stettinius, Baruch.
Hughes and others, and there was rea-
son to believe that Wood would also
be set to work, at least in some
ence in the attitude of the Administra-
tion is one of the reasons which lead
observers here to acquit it of entire
responsibility for the present astonish-
ing change of plans with regard to
Inc eXlSClng SITUATION IS awkward
II the Administration did this thing
it will have to explain all over again
why it does not make use of Wood
1t the burden of responsibility is shift
ed to Pershing's shoulders questions
will be asked regarding Pershing him
self which should not be asked and
which the Administration will not de-
sire to have asked. This leads to the
general prediction here that big job
will speedily be found for Wood, so
that the country may be led to forget
as soon as possible what has just hap
pened.
Big Man Without Job
For General Pershing, in case he has
objected to the presence of General
Wood, it may be said that the Admin
,stration created a difficult situation
for him. A first-class man in anything
but frst-class job is out of place He
is in the way of his superior. No ex-
ecutive wants to have subordinate
forced on him who, by temperament.
by experience, by qualifications, ought
not to be a subordinate. Pershing NAV
we'll have said to himself: "The place
for Wood is chief of staff in Wash
! ington.s If the government cannot see
| 1t it is not my fault"
And regarding the men sent over as
his subordinates, General Pershinp Ia
an autocrat. II he does not want an
officer that on1cer stays home or is
subsequently sent home.
! n