New-York tribune., 1920-01-14

as an officer overseas, interrupted MT.
De Walt to declare there is "decora
tion ring" in the army and that it
should be investigated.
Some Officers "Jingle With Medals"
"The country" said l-r. Johnson, ais
entitled to know whether these medals
were won honestly and fairly. Some
officers who never fired shot had
so many that they jingled like Polish
Fourth of July celebration"
Mr.. De Walt denied that he opposed
an investigation and Chairman Kahn
of the Military Committee said he be-
lieved Secretary Baker was willing to
furnish all the facts asked for in the
resolution.
The resolution calls upon the Sec
retary of War to furnish to the House
complete list of officers, men and
the citations and the names of the
officers making the awards.
Mr.. GalIivan summed up his charges
IN this fashion:
Il am advised that the morale of the
army, so far as the enlisted men are
concerned, has been shattered amoss
beyond belief. The officer morale has
been broken because of three particu-
lar reasons. First, the palpable dis
play. OF favoritism in selections for pro-
motion and in making citations and
awards for medals. Second, the reduc-
tlon OF many distinguished officers to
junior grades upon their arrival at
the port of debarkation of the United
States and placing them under the i'm
mediate command of officers many
years their junior and who have not
been outside the United States during
the war. This is quite a common
abuse. and the feeling in the army
over 1T is intense. Third, the manner
IN IN which the General Staff has handled
the entire military situation.
"The General Staff has bungled the
army personnel with total disregard
OF the human element. Selections for
h1gh command have been made be-
cause of personal acquaintance rather
tnan on military. record. 1t has de-
stroyed practically every administra-
tive branch of the military establish
ment and has usurped their. functions
10 Itself. There is no part of the armv
winch can now turn its hand without
consulting CO some officer of the General
otaH, who is often a man of mex
PI,erlence and with little knowledge of
the subject upon which he is called to
give an opinion and make a decision
= =; cannot refrain from saying that
ever medal awards are discussed that
our our present chief of staff and one of
ms asslstants-a colonel, whose duty
~ was to escort and dine foreign mis-
slons here in Washington-have M
space left between their belts and their
collars to display the medals that have
sDeen given them as a result of this
service, and yet neither heard a hostile
s shoe throughout the entire period of
the war. | have no thought of preach
ing ABOUT individual cases of officers
una men who were recommended for
service crosses and medals and who
never received them, but, in nv iudr-
ment, the A. E. F. has been transferred
10 "ashlngton, tobascoed by a Baker
and q March. How l pity the army
under such circumstances!
admitting even the good things
that have been done, and there were
many such or else we would not have
won this war, there should be no oh
lection to an honest investigation not
only of the expenditures, Of decora-
tlons, OF promotions and emotions. but
the most important question of all
why does the American boy who won
the war hate what his superiors did
IN france, and why does he hate the
regular army? This is a question of
extreme Importance to the army, to
the government itself and, most Of all.
the mothers and fathers of the Young
men of America who gave their sons
freely and willingly that world de-
mocracy might be perpetuatcd and
that all nations might be free"
Calls Gen. Woods Case Notorious"
Mr.. Gallivan laid some emphasis on
the case of General Leonard Wood.
which, e>,said, was "of especial inter
national notoriety."
General Wood, as every one Knows.
was considered by the army as one OF
its most capable officers and the only
officer on the active list who had exer