New-York tribune., 1920-12-24
Congress Will
Keep Clear of
Fight in Army
General Staff Selections
as Made by the Pershing
Board Not To Be Changed
Despite Bitter Criticism
12.OOO Promotions Stand
Senate Expects to Confirm
Practically All of the
Appointments by Wilson
By Carter Field

BY Carter Field
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-Congress
is not disposed to interfere with the
findings Of the Pershing board, whose
selection Of officers eligible for Cen
eral Staff duty has torn the army per-
sonnel to a degree difficult to exag-
gerate. Secretary of War Baker also
says positively that he has no inten-
ton Of reopening the question.
Questioning of leading Senators and
members Of the House to-day disclosed
that, while no study had been given to
the final report of the Pershing selec-
ton board, which picked out the Off
GERS from which the General staff
should be selected, there was a very
general disposition to let the army
and the War Department handle the
situation without Congress getting into
however, S we IT, that the senate Whid act to
remedy another situation which is dis
turOing the army.
Chairman Wadsworth of the Senate
Military Affairs Committee announced
that ne had conferred with a great
number Of Senators, and as a result
practically all Of the $4,000 officers
whose names have been sent in for
promotion by the President would be
confirmed.
The plan is to confirm all save those
20 whom there is objection," said Mr.
Wadsworth, land as matter Of fact
objections are made by Senator'S to
less than 100. This would permit the
confirming OF about 1900 officers prior
to March 4. Without such action the
new Administration would come in on
March facing condition Of almost
chaos in the army"
As to the Persh!ng selection boards
choice Of men eligible for the General
Staff, which has caused more commo-
ton, perhaps, even than the famous
navy "plucking board" which Congress
abolished about five years ago, there
is less disposition to pour oil on the
waters.
Followed Army Officers Wishes
Let them stew in their own juice
saio one Senator to-day, when asked
If Congress would take hand every
army officer, practiccily, was in favor
Of the idea. Of cour3:. that was before
the board had functloned. They told
US such a board worId result IN on,
having real General Staff, and urged
US in the same breath not to let Sec
retary Baker or Chici of Staff March
have anything to do with it. We fol-
loved their wishes to the letter We
so framed the law tnat neither Baker
nor March did have hand III it, Now
the board has acted of course, every
one not on the list is sore and thinks
an outrage has been rerpetrated. May
be. so, but from an outsiders view
point, who is more competent to do the
selecting than the Pershing board ?"
Chairman Wadsworth, Of the Mill
tary Committee, had not read the list
Of officers selected for General Staff
duty, and therefore could not voice an
opinion as to the quality of job done
by the Pershing board.
All can say is approve the idea"
he said. "The law was good We de-
sired to emulate the example of the
French, whose general staff was the
wonder Of the war. A French officer
would rather be captain on the gen
eral staff than a lieutenant colonel in
the line. Why? Because to be on the
French general staff means that an Of
flcer has demonstrated brain power
and has been selected out of a large
number because of real ability. There
fore the French general staff is the
cream Of the army. 1t is real intel
lectual aristocracy.
I'VE wanted a staff like that for our
army. 1t had been shown in the war
that the best troops in the world ale of
little value # they are not got to
the points desired with the proper
amount Of equipment, ammunition and
food supplies. SO we provided that an
officer should not be eligible for the
staff unless he had been graduated BY
both the Leavenworth school and the
Army War College. Young officers are
selected by their colonels to attend
these schools on much the same princi-
pie as the Frcnch--because Of demon
straeed ability. Then, we thought, and
still think, if from this list of gradu.
atcs special board Of army officers
chooses the best brains for the general
staff, that staff should be very eff
cient organization"
But there is no such complacency
about the situation up around the Wa
Department. Officers who were left Of
the list, or whose pet heroes or friends
we're left off, are fairly sizzling over
the blight placed on those ignored.
Selection Board May Reconyene
Army men generally take the view
that the selection board can be recon
vened II the Secretary of War desires
to satisfy himself that such officer.
as Major General Omar Bundy, wht
commanded the Cd Division and latcI
the 4th Army Corps in France, anc
Major General Francis j. Herman, com
mander of the service of supply il
France, and other general officers arr
rightfully classed as unqualified 70,
General Staff duty.
If Secretary Baker declines to recon
vene the board Of selection so high i.
the feeling that it is probable tha
some general officer whose name is no
included in the list OF elgibles 70
staff duty will place the matter square
ly before him by asking for boar,
Of inquiry to determine wherein h
fails to meet the requirem ents Of tn
national defense act for staff duty
The act specifically provides that OF