Omaha daily bee., 1920-11-25
Army Promotion
Row to Be Aired
In the Senate
Question of Promotion and
Transfer of $4,000 Officers
Cause for Squsbble in
: Official Circles.
Bq ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Ree Leased WIr.

bQ AKl RI Uk SEAMS HENNlNG.
Chicago Tribune-0maha Bee Leased Wire.
Washington, Nov. PA trcmcn-
dous row has broken nut in the army
over the promotion and transfer of
$4,000 Officers and is destined>to be
aired in the senate. when the ap-
pointments come before that body
tor confirmation.
About 5,0O0'of these appointment;
are to fill new positions created By
the organization act os June 4, 1870,
while the remaining 10000 are pro.
motions 10 fiji vacancies and trans
fers from one arm OF the service
to another, or between the line and
the staff.
he controversy is raging partic-
ularly around the appointment of 81
new general officers, all chosen by
selection, many of whom have jump
ed over their seniors. Most of the
officers promoted to be major gen.
erals, and brigadier generals are said
% be favoritcs Nof General Pershing
chairman of the selection board, and
of General March, chef Of staff.
Passes II PromotNns.
One of the officers passed over II
promotions to the rank qf major
general. is Brig. Gen. Clarence B.
Edwards, who commanded the New
England division carly in the war,
and who is regarded IN some quar-
ters, as. likely appointee as chief
of staff under the Harding admin
istration. Senator Lodge and Vic:
Pyesident-elect Coolidge are expect
ed to champion the cause of General
Edwards whep the appointments
come before the senate.
The IL new major generals. all
Of whose commissions date from
July, 1920, are James w. McAndrew, |
John L. Hines. Henry T. Allen,
David c. Shanks, Adelbert Cronk-
hite, George w. Read, Omar Bundy, |
William M. Wright. Charles H. Muir,
Cahrles T. Menoher and William
6. Haan.
Of the % new brigadier generals,
IS served under General Pershing
in France. They are: William Las
sitter, 53; Harry H. Bandholtz, 56; !
Douglas Macarthur, 40; Hanson E.
Ely, s.; Dwight f. Aultman, 48;
Johnson Hagood, ~; Dennis E.
Nolan, 48; William D. Conner, 46;
Fox Conner, 46; Malin Craig, As;
Robert c. Davis, S.; Hugh : A.
Drum. Al; and Goe. H. Mosely. 4S.
Law Violation Charged.
1t is being pointed out that all
seven of the last named officers ex-
:ept William D. Connor, have been
promoted from the rank of captain
o that of brigadier general since
ne outbreak of the war in 1917.
The army reorganization law,
Inder which the promotions were /
made, provided that no man should1
'e promoted by selection to be a 4
lew general officer until he had
erved z1 years lin the army. 1t is
harged that this provision of the
aw has, in effect, been openly vfo-
ated by tie special board in the
ase OF Lieut.. Col. Hugh Drum,
those q years of service was not
cached until September 81, 1920, and
lieut.. Col. George H. Mosely, who
,lll not have served % years until [,
'ebruary IS. 1921. IS T.
lt-is alleged that the action of the
oard in the cases of these two Of
GERS, at least, amounted to holding
wo brigadier generalships open for
1ese two young officers to reach the
equired term of service. f.
Selected on Past Record.
On behalf of Pershing, it is assert,
d that the younger officers vino
ave been promoted over the heads | !
t their seniors were selected on the
asis Of extraordinarytservice in the
ar and that when the senate COM
littee considers the nominations it
I'LL find the general entirely justi-
ed in approving the selections.
Some of the younger officers pro-
loted who performed such distin-
uished service. it is asserted, were
William Lassiter, chief of artillery
the A. E. F.: Ernest Kinds in CONF
and of the port of embarkation
Hoboken; Hanson E. Ely, who
stinguished himself in command of
lie: 28th infantry in the battle of