The Washington herald., 1918-05-29
SPECULATION RIFE
ON CAUSE OF ORDER
Suggestion of Political Mo-
tive Repudiated by
Administration.
WOOD MAY GET ACTIVE
COMMAND AT HOME NOW
Belief Is Expressed That His Re-
quest Will Be Met to This
Extent at Least.

Mai. Gen. Leonard Wood made
personal appeal to President
Wilson late yesterday against the
order which would prevent him
from accompanying his command,
the Eighty-ninth Division, to
France. He is understood not to
have received a definite answer
and at a late hour last night the
final decision had not been an
nounced at the White House.
At the conclusion of the con-
ference Gen. Wood found almost
a regiment of newspaper eorrc-
spondents waiting to -interrogate
him. He answered all questions
with this brief comment: What
ever orders / receive shall be
obcyed with a cheerful heart"
The brief statement was given
impressive emphasis, without ap-
parent effort, by the soldicrly tone
of the speakers voice.
white House Interview.
The White House interview followed
the Cabinet meeting and came as the
climax of a highly speculative con-
troversy which had absorbed interest
in army and Congressional circles
throughout the day.
The factions in Congress which
have opposed Secretary Bakers Ad-
ministration of the War Department
openly charged that Gen. Wood was
being deprived of an active command
and the opportunity TO return to
France because he was friendly with
certain elements of the Republican
party. others alleged he was being
held in the United States merely be-
cause Gen. PershinE had not spe-
cifcally requested his return TO
France.
Gen. Wood apparently took no stock
In any of those theories. Least of all
was he willing to believe Gen. Per-
shing does not want him. Sometime
after leaving the White House he
said:
Il am giving no credence to this
db'hS ihSN -~'
president Wilson graciously grant
ed me an opportunity to state my
ambitions and desires in the matter.
He was very nice TO me. Beyond
this I cannot talk"
There is strong support for the
opinion that Gen. Wood has not been
held in the United States for any of
the reasons set forth by the critics
% i-i igfr hn nN1rar'a
over-zealous trends. Instead he may
be wanted for a particular military
duty on this continent which his
training and experience peculiarly mt
him for.
Reasons Delicate.
The nature of this possible serv-
ice is thought by some to involve
questions so delicate as to be known
only to the President and his i'm
mediate confidantes. They could
not under any circumstances be set
forth publicly at this time as an
excuse for holding in reserve a mill
tary official.
At the conclusion Of the Cabinet
meeting a spokesman of the ad-
said:
The statement that G en eral
Wood is being refused permission to
return to Europe as chastisemenI
for political activities is absurd. To
make it stronger, there is no possi-
BILE connection between the order
which sends this officer to San Fran
cisco for duty. rather than to
France. and the political gossip
about the case.
The only question involved is a
military question. The only reason
is a military feason.
Had the President and the Secre-
tary of War desired to remove Cen
eral Wood from an influential posi-
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