The sun., 1918-05-29
GENERAL WOOD
MAY HEAD j. s.
FORCE IN ITALY
Appointment Would Carry
Promotion to Rank of Lieu
tenant-General.
HE VISITS PRESIDENT
Closeted 45 Minutes With viii.
son-March Earlier at
White House.

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wAsHINoroN. May 2s.-Thsre are in
dicati tonight that Major-Gen. Leon
ard Wood. whose detachment from his
division about to leave for France ere
ated much speculation yesterday. will
command the United States forces to be
sent to the Italian front. This would
mean the elevation Of Gen. Wood. who
Is the senior Major-General, to the
rank OF Lieutenant General.
First announcement that American =
forces were to be sent to the Italian
front was made by Secretary Baker in
his speech in New York Friday night.
In that speech after referring to the
fact that the American Army was al
ready represented in Italy by a large
and important stan Of experts who were
Mr.. Baker said:
But I see. and In the no distant fu-
ture. American infantry. American ma =
chine gun units and American artillery
shoulder to shoulder with the Italians
on their front line"
Decision Probably Reached.
The plan OF sending Mator-Gen.
Wood to Itai, appears tonight In the
light OF solution Of the perplexns
problem created by the sudden de-
tachment Of Gen. Wood from his d!v:-
sion.
While nothing definite was fortt com.
ing from the War Department as to the
disposition which was to be made OF
his services. i, was learned that the
IN tai ha0 hAAO
under serious consideration by the
President and Secretary Baker. with in
dications tonight that decision OF
considerable moment had been reached
This decision Is understood to be pleas
ing to the friends Of Major-Gen. Wood
and to the General himself.
1t appears now that the President and
Secretary Baker had this plan in mind
before the orders detach!ng Major-Gen.
Wood were made known. 1t is under
stood the plan to assign Fin to COM
mand the Western Department was only
to have been temporary. the War De-
partment not yet having entirely COM
pleted Its italian plans.
When Major-Gen. Wood yesterday
heard that he might go to the Pacific
coast ne at once took the matter up will
Secretary Baker. and Is understood to
have reiterated his earnest desire to be
in the fighting line. Mr. Baker referred
the General to the President and made
an appointment for him at o'clock this
evening.
The conference between the President
and MaJor-Gen Wood lasted forty-nve
minutes. No intimation OF itS results
was forthcoming either at the White
House or at the War Department Major
Gen. Wood upon leaving the White
House said:
"All l can say II that whatever orders
l get I shall obey them cheerfully"
March At Cabinet Meeting.
The General went from the White
House to the War Department and re-
ported TO Gen. Peyton c. March. Chief
Of STAFF. Gen. March previously had ac-
companied Secretary Baker to the Cab!-
net meeting which preceded the Presi-
dents interview with Major Gen. Wood.
Gen. March remained ten minutes with
the President. This was their hrst
meeting. 1t was thought to have .
bearing on the case OF Major Gen. Wood.
The sending Of Major-Gen. Wood to
Italy would accomplish three things.
First. 1t would still criticism that he had
been she,ved. Again, II would give him
an important command where his spe-
cial qualifications for training men
would be seen to best advantage.
Gen. Woods case. as a result OF the
developments OF yesterday. was a theme
Of much discussion at the Capitol and
throughout ofIicial circles to-day. and
pending definite announcements from
the War Department all kinds of conjec.
lures MI the air to account for his
change In orders, These were accen-
tuated by a visit which Gen. Wood paid
to tho Capitol. where he called upon
Senator Warren (Wyo), father-in-law
Of Gen. Pershing.
The reason for this was not made
clear, but It gave rise to rumor at
once that Gen. Persh!ns for some reason
had objected TO Gen. Wood being sent
to France. Senator Warren. while de-
cl,ning TO explain the occasion OF Gen.
Woods call. said:
Gen. Wood expressed himself as a
soldier and ready to obey as soldier
should I told him that ] too had been
and still was a soldier and ! understood