New-York tribune., 1919-12-31
Army
System Causes
2,146 to Resign
Continued from pngr I

number 3os left in August. From
August SO to December "a. a period OF
less than four months. l.75' have re-
sig od This is an average of almost
d50 officers leaving the service in each
OF the four months Intervening.
The figures thus given were fur
nishrd by the morale branch Of the
General SteT, q department of the
in maintaining a healthy condition OF
satisfaction among both commissioned
and enlisted men.
Distinguished Service Of no Avail
cursory inspection OF the current
Army Director brings to view case af-
ter case Of officers whose service abroad
was most distinguished. but who found
reductions in rank awaiting them en-
their~rcturn to the United States.
The following cases illustrate the IN
equality Of rank brought about by the
demotion system:
Lieutenant Colonel Frank E. Bam-
ford, al infantry officer, served as &
brigadier general in command cf a
brigade OF the fighting 1stt Division,
and was specially selected to command
the 2Gth New England Division at a
critical period of the Battle of the Ar
gonne. Colonel Damford's work in the
A. T. r. won the recognition of Gen
ernl Pcrshng who recommended him
for prom otion to the grade of major
general on October H. On rcturr to
n Grf.n 10 n
rank of lieutenant colonel and assigned
to the 18th Infantry Regiment, COM
manded by Colonel c. a. Eunt, cap
tain IN the regular establishment, and
nearly 500 points janior to Colonel
BAmford
Major Preston Brown. another in
,antry officer of distingN pushed service
in Fls,lce, served rs chief Of staff Of
he I'd Division at Chateau Thierry,
SCISSORS and ST. Mihiei and was award
cd the Distinguished Service Medal ror
handling with great credit the details
Of these three battles. He was chief
of st"n OF the 18th Army Corps III
front Of Met. and later commanded tho
3d Division in the battle Of the Ar
gorno Forest a most critical time.
Urged for Promotion by Pershing
Major Brown was roconln. nded By
General Pershing for the RAM. Of major
general IN a cable message in October,
but the War Department had not acted
IN the case when the ruliu.. WAS made
5orbiddlng promotions after the armis-
tlce MaJoY Brown is ranked by %
ma Tor generals, u brigadier generals.
s2cQ colonels and .22l lieutenant CO.
onels who never ooNnandrd a division
ii action.
Br!sadie~ General Adelhcgt Cronk-
hlte, who commanded the 30th Division
and the ID Army Corps N ACTON in
france and won the Distinguished
Service Medal fer his soldiery per-
formance Of duty, is another cas-
where demotion has made nm junior 10
twenty-three major generals who never
commanded division IN nctuai battle
service
Lieutenant Colonel Hanson !. rly
IF served in the A. t. F. a. com
mander Of a regiment, brigade arl
division. being advanced per- ideally
for exceptional services from command
i ? regiment the LIST Division to
a hrieadler in the 2d Division and
finally 10 &C nmand Of the -th Division.
lie served mer terousir in every &C.
tion from Chateau Jhierry to the
Meuae~Argonl campaign. md 1t ws.s
the 18th Infantry which, under his
'oMmand, storned Ird ca, tureG the
town Of CantignS, he tirst grca: fner-
lcan success n Freeze. In recogni-
ion Of his stinguished service ne
vas awardcd the Distirgu .9ervice
Medal, cormarGcr Of th Legion O.
'ol,o~ and o'rer decora,iona. On r.
.urning to the Unted states Colonel
,ly VS. assigned 20 tie (enntal SNatf
College here, end low - in4erior in
rank to twenty three major generals,
forty-tvo brig .lier generals and loo
cclore'7. 4 great 'najoligy o -hcso
colorels are ranked by Iieutenant
Colonel Ely IN The regular army MANY
IF them being majors and captains IL
DE regular service