The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-06-19
PROPOSAL RAISING
MARINE RANK LOSES
House Votes Nearly Two to
One Against Naval APP
preparation Bill.
AMENDMENT DEFEATED
Major-General Barnett Sits in
Gallery While Members
Declare It Is Social
Propaganda, ~
AMENDMENT DEFEATED

Washington, June 1s--The house
today. by a vote OF nearly two to one.
defeated the proposal TO raise the
commandant of the marine corps to
the rank and pay Of a iieutenant-gen-
srai, and TO create the rank of mat tor
general for two of his staff officers.
The vote was 10 TO ~ on rejection Of
the conference report on the naval
appropriation bill containing this pro-
vision as a senate amendment.
The amendment providing per-
manent increase ia the enlisted
strength OF the navy to 1885 was
adopted without opposition.
Maior-General Barnett, for whom
|tAM~shAGss- rank OF iisatenans-6emsral
was Intended. WAS seated with his wife
In the speakers gallery throughout
the angry debate WHICH preceded the
vote In another gaAery sat num-
Der of his staff officers. Members
charged that a social and political
propaganda" had been at work to
create these new positions for the ma
rine corps commanders. that the men
who would benefit by the increase
were rocking chair warriors" and
that they should have been court
martiaied for lobbying for the pro-
posai after II had been disapproved by
the secretary OF the navy.
Mckenzie. of Illinois. went so far
as to charge that ii was an attempt by
the officers stationed in Washington
TO win high rank for themselves on
account OF what the marines in the
ranks have done in France.
Heating. of Colorado. in a vigorous
attack on the measure. asserted that
General Barnett and his associates
were rocking chair warriors" and
told the mem bers OF the house they
would make laughing stock" of
themselves II they voted for the in
crease in rank.
IF you do this thing" shouted
Heating. the word will go forth that
the way to win promotion in the ma
rine corps il not to go to the front,
but to stay here in Washington and
exert social and political pull to get
1t over. The secretary OF the navy is
against this increase OF pay and rank,
and Notwithstanding that these Of
fioers. who should have been court
martialed for going over the head of
the chief of the navy, have interested
with members of congress to put this
amendment In"
The house has seldom witnessed a
more bitter debate than that waged
over the amendment. Padgett. of
Tennessee. chairman of the commit
tee. refused to take any part in it.
and submitted the proposal to the
house without any recommendation
whatever, saying he would leave II en-
tirely to the judgment OF the house.
Butler. Of Pennsylvania, a men,
Der OF the naval committee and father
OF Colonel Smedley Butler OF the ma
rfne corps. now in France. was the
chief opponent of the proposed in
crease of rank. He read the testi-
mony of Secretary Daniels before the
committee in opposition TO it.
Butler was so vehement in his OBJ
lection to the measure, that he
threatened to withdraw from the ma
val affairs committee II it should go
through. He accused General Bar
nett and his staff officers OF conduct
Ing propaganda for the amendment,
and said 1t was unfair to the men
who are doing the fighting in France.
1T is merely to benefit men who
are sitting in easy chairs here in
Washington, who have never been TO
the front and never will be-" Butler
said. They are now sitting in the
gallery waiting to see the thing go
through"
Britten. OF Illinois; Flood, of vtr-
Elnia; Oliver, of Alabama, and Meek
err pleaded for the amendment, but
on rising vote II was rejected.
In the debate on the amendment
fixing the permanent enlisted strength
of the navy at 49, ass, there was a
bitter colloquy between Britten and
Butler, prompted by the Eaters state
ment that he would vote for the
with great reluctance.
Britten said he could not understand
the reluctance of the secretary OF the !
navy and members OF committee to
support this increase. He said:
five don't adopt this amendment, |
the end OF the war will find us with
our naval vessels tied to the docks
because we won't have the man to
man them. I don't understand such
|