Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-28

WOODS FRIENDS FEAR
HE WILL BE "SHELVED"
Retirement May Make Him
Republican Presidential
Candidate in 1920
HAS PHYSICAL DEFECT
Old Injury to Leg May Disqualify
General in His Ex-
animation
HAS PHYSICAL DEFECT
By a Sto6 Correspondent

By STAY Cores spondoNt
Washington, March 2s.
Official Washington is awaiting with
the deepest interest the outcome OF the
physical examination of General Leon
ard Wood, to see II he Is disqualified on
account Of physical unfltness for serv-
Ice in France and placed on the retired
list with assignment to some remote
army camp.
A large number Of prominent Repubi-
cans, among them Senator's and Con-
Eressmen. are firmly convinced that If
General Wood Is barred from service at
the front and retired, 1t will make him
presidential candidate on the Republican
ticket in 1920. He was prominently
mentioned as a presidential candidate
three years ago and was urged from
different quarters to throw his hat into
the ring"
Many of General Woods friends fear
that he will be ''plucked'' as physically
unfit in retaliation for the testimony he
gave before the Senate Military Affairs
Committee few days ago in which he
made some rather bitter criticism of the
preSeHt stdte VI lne american army.
AS General Wood has some generally
known physical defects and could most
likely be found physically UNIT IL the
army regulations were strictly adhered
to, tho matter resolves itself into a
question of whether the Administration
will dare to shelve him.
General Wood has had n bad leg for
many years that could under the army
regulations be considered a much more
serious defect than any injury he may
have suffered to his arm when that
member was laid open from the wrist
to the elbow by the German shell frag-
ment which struck him on his recent
visit to the French front-line trenches
it Is understood that the injury to his
arm by the German shell fragment,
while painful and for time serious, did
not leave any noticeable permanent de-
feet in that limb, so that disqualification
will most likely depend upon his general
physical condition and the defect in his
leg.
Hurt During spanish War
This injury to General Woods leg was
the result of n most peculiar accident at
Havana shortly after the American oc-
cupation at the time of the Spanish
American war. A clerk In General
Woods office in Havana in arranging
the generals desk placed 1t right under
an elaborate old chandelier.
The general In arising fromsthe desk
hurriedly bumped his head into one Of
the sharp points of the chandelier, re-
ceiving a most painful scalp wound.
Some reports of the accident have as
serted that the chandelier fell on Gen.
eral Wood, but persons who were pres
ent say he bumped into it when he arose
from his desk.
Some peculiar indentation was made
on the top of the generals skull which
affected his motor nerve. The result Is
that the generals leg does not respond
Immediately to the dictates of, the brain,
but moves I'm the desired direction a
fraction of second later than is usual.
The defect substracts nothing from
the strength of the limb, 1t is UNDER
stood, and does not hinder his walk
ing, although the halting motion Is clear
ly noticeable.
General Woods rise In the army was
spectacular. He volunteered for service
in the medical corps during the Span
ish-American War and within ten years,
through the strong personal friendship
Of President Theodore Roosevelt, be-
came the highest Ufficer in the army.
The general S career has not been
quite pleasant since the advent of the
present Democratic administration. He
IS n Republican and has the backing
of the powers in the Republican party
to no unmistakable degree.
He was chief of staff and the ranking
officer in the American army when Pres
tdent w lson came into power. Soon he
was made commander of the Department
OF the East, with headquarters In New
York. When the army divisions were
ieorganized about eighteen months ago
he was taken from New York and made
commander of the Southeastern Division.
with headquarters at Charleston. S C.
In spite of the shifts he put great life
into the preparedness movement in the
Southeastern Division and in spite Of his
politics became very popular among all
the people of the South. His popularity
apparently became dangerous and short
ly he was shifted to an army camp In
Kansas, where little was heard Of him.
Cry For General Wood
About three months ago the cry
''where is General Wood; why don't they
send him to France? Pc became SO strong
that the General was sent for visit to
France There he was injured and must
undergo physica, examination before
being placed in command of division
at the front. VIII he now be effectively
sidetracked?" Is the question in the
minds of many prominent officials. II
he is, It Is certain that plenty will be
heard about It in the Senate and House
Of Representatives.
There have been numerous instances
recently CT men being disciplined"
after giving testimony before Congress
sional committees unfavorable TO the
War Department.
One striking case which comes to
mind is that of an officer of the Rame