New-York tribune., 1918-05-21
March Will Be
Chief of Staff and
A Full General
Acting Army Head Is Now
Restricted Because of
Rank
Especial Dispatch to The Tribume) }


WASHINGTON, May 2o.-Major
General Peyton c. March, acting chief
of staff, will be nominated full gen.
eral and named chief of staff this
week by President Wilson, it was an
nounced to-day at the War Depart
ment.
At the same time General Tasker H..
Bliss, chief of staff and American rep
rescntative at the Versailles Supreme
War Council, who reverts to the rank
of major general when relieved as
chief of staff, will be provided for in
legislation which will enable him to
retain the rank of general by brevet.
He is to remain in France as the
American representative on the War
Council
The elevation of General March to
chief of staff and full general will
remove the restrictions which he en-
countered. as acting chief of staff by
reason Of other major generals out
ranking him. His new rank, coupled
as it is with the title of chief of staff.
will make him senior to General Per,
shlng, commander of the overseas
forces.
Victory for General March
Army men generally interpret the
contemplated change as victory for
General March. whose administration
under the title of acting chief of staff
has in several instances resulted in de-
lays and embarrassments due to others
outranking him.
under the law the nation can have
only two full generals-the commander
OF the American expeditionary forces
and the chief of staff. Upon his retire
ment on account of age recently Gen
erad Bliss was continued as chief of
stall, SO he could get the four stars and
stand on footing of equality with
other delegates at the Versailles ses-
sion.
His appointment as brevet general
will in no wise impair his standing
there, the title being temporary one.
win footing equivalent to full gen.
eral. The nation has had only hand
1ul OF full generals, and the rank of
Drevet general is relic of the Civil
Recognize Service Of Bliss
Commenting on the new rank to be
gwen General Bliss, Secretary of War
Baker said o-day: "I am sure tha
President will be entirely willing to
nave 1T said that General Bliss's nom
lnation IS the merited recognition Of
service for a long period of the verv
greatest value and most conspicuous
service now in the actual theatre Of
war" W
Coincident with the announcement
OF the elevation of General March. Il
was stated at the department that the
rank or lieutenant general is likely to
pc created soon to provide proper rat
ing 1or officers who are to be named as
corps commanders with the overseas
tention Of the department to forn,
army corps in France as ouicklv as m
sufficient full divisions were at tho
disposal OF General Pershing, the new
scheme of brigading troops with Tho
British and French has made this nlan
impracticable. Pc"
Pershing Studying Corps Plans
Commenting on the prospect of
forming army corps, Secretary Baker
to-day said:
The formation of army corps will
rest rest entirely with General Pershinp
me original plan in this connection was
20 nave SIX divisions as thev went over
formed into corps. General Pershine
is restudying that question, and what
changes ne Will make we do not know
out when ne does form an army corps
on the other side he will in all likefi-
nooo assign as corps commander d.
The question of promoting the ma,or
general as corps commander tn ~
rank OF lieutenant general will not bs
taken up until General Pershing makes
has recommendation"