The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1920-01-14
ARMY. AWARDS
TO Be PRODED
BY CONGRESS
House by Vote l83 tost23
Asks Secretary for In
formation on Medals.
GEN. MARCH TARGET
Gallivan Delivers Attack on
Swivel Chair Officers
I And ndLeavenworth Clique
GEN. MARCH TARGET

The first step toward a Congress
sional airing of the charges Of
! favoritism and discrimination in the
awarding of the Army Distinguished
Service Medal was taken yesterday.
The House, by a vote Of 1Ss to 1ss,
adopted resolution by Representa-
| tive Gallivan. Democrat, of Massa-
chusetts. directing the Secretary of
war to furnish the House with COM
plete detailed information in connec-
tion with each award.
Delivers BroadsIde Attack.
In calling up his resolution Mr.
Gallivan delivered a broadside attack
against the War Department and the
l commanding officers of the army
which precipitated bitter fight with
in the Democratic ranks and a de-
bate marked by intense feeling.
| The vote virtually was along
party lines. The Democrats al
most to a man opposed their col
league. while the Republicans. W
league. while the Republicans, with
few exceptions, supported the
resolution.
| The Massachusetts, member timed
his new attack for the anniversary
of his first blast against the army's
treatment of National Guard and
National Army officers and men.
Yesterdays bombardment, however,
made last years onslaught ook
like Villa raid as compared with
Hindenburg drive.
Starting with Gen. March. chief
OF STAFF. Mr.. Galivan aid down a
barrage which covered all the
swivel chair officers" decorated for
gallant services with the Second
Army of the Potomac" and extend
ed all down the line of the 'Ieay-
enworth clique" and the regular
army officers who composed the
boards that recommended the
awards
"a. F. f. Hated the ReEuIar..-
He charged that the method of
award had seriously impaired the
morale of the army and that Every
man in the A. E. F. hatedd the
7 regular army" An Investigation
should be made. he demanded. to let
the American people know that that
was the case
The Distinguished Service Medal.
Col
cheapened. even dishonored. and GER
tainly ridiculed by the bold and
! brazen manner in which it has been
passed out to those who belong to
the elect"
Gen. March and one Of his assist
ants. a colonel. Mr.. GaIIivan said,
nave no space left between their
/ belts and their collars to display
the medals that have been given
them and vet nai,hor
heard hostile shot throughout the
entire period of the war" He con-
tinued:
WAR Fought with Red Ink
me reading of the sum total of
tne citations in awarding the dis
uhsulshed service medal to swivel
cnalr omeers of the General Staff.
who never left Washington during
the war. IL believed. would certain
ly impress one with the fact that
the war was fought with red ink
at mahogany desks near the
shadows of the Washington monu-
ment rather than in the Argonne
and st. Mihiel sectors"
A General Staff officer who did
not receive one of these medals, in
the opinion of the Massachusetts,
Congressman. must feel like a gray
| morse In barnyard full of mules"
The oficers thus honored were re-
terred to as lounge lizards" lob
oy lancers, boulevard shock
troops of Paris, Chaumont and
Tours" General March was stylad
! the high priest of Prussianisn''
and compared with the kaiser.
The Kaiser. Mr.. Gallivan ex-
planned. said. Me und Gott," but
General March naturally asks
where this 'Gott' comes in"
Democrats on Defensive.
Springing to the defense of Gem
eral March and other officers under
fire, Representative Dewalt. Demo-
crat. of Penpsylvania. said he
would hurb the insult back into
the teeth Of the gentleman from
Massachusetts,.
Representative Caldwell, Demo.
crat, of New York, charged Mr.. Gal
livan with making 'an attack un-
der cover and Representative Bee,
democrat, of Texas. took occasion
to make a strong attack on the
Massachusetts member for de
flaming men who cannot be heard"
Mr.. Bee Is brother-in-law of POST
master General Burleson, who was
the object of a scathing deunciation
delivered by Mr. Gallivan in the
House several months ago. o..
Representative Steele, Democrat, OF
Pennsylvania. also strongly defended
Gen. March.
Representative oJhnson. Republi-
can. of South Dakota, charged that
there was decoration ring" in the
army. Some officers who never heard
a shot fired, he said. have so many
medals that they Jingle like a
Fourth of July celbraetion' -