Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-11
Barnett Den,OtiOn
Laid to Social War
Continued from Page One


marine corps. He is Louisiana
Democrat. He comes from the French
aristocracy Of the far South--the stock
that fought for Napoleon and tried to
establish new world empire for tn"
little corporal" In all the contro.
versy centerng around General Bar
nets demotion. there is nothing that
reflects on General Lejeune as a soldier
or gentleman.
General Barnett begged to go over.
seas when war was declared. but was
kept here to organize the corps and keep
the machinery Of administration, supply
and replacement running smoothly. So,
he sent General Lejeune. Later, when
Congress passed an act creating a per-
manent major generalship in the marine
corps In addition to the rank of major
general commandant, held by General
Barnett, the latter promptly recon-
meneed General Lejeune for appoint
ment in the new rank. and his recon-
mendation was confirmed.
With the close of the war and the
rehabilitation of the war forces. Cen
eral Lejeune was placed in command
Of the marine base at Quantico, Va
3 and General Barnett remained here.
That was the way matters stood
when Secretary Daniels announced the
appointment of General Lejeune to the
command of the marine corps and
= subsequently. the assignment of Cen
eral Barnett to command of new
brigade with headquarters at San
Francisco.
Second Term Unfinished
With General Barnett's removal as
major general Commandant. he drops
, back automatically to the rank of
4 brigadier. General Lejeune's elevation
4 leaves a major generalship vacant, and
T.. 1t is, assumed in justice to everybody
concerned that General Barnett will
shortly be restored to his former mill
tary rank. though. OF course, not to the
post of commandant
His demotiOn came in the middle of
his term. The major general com
mandant is appointed for four years.
General Barnett served one term out
and was in the midst of his second.
The normal expectation was that he
would be permitted to serve as com
mandant to the end of this term in
February, 1922. thereby rounding out
forty five years service in every grade
from midshipman to the highest com
mand obtainable.
II is the why's" of Secretary
Daniels's order, as estimated by social
leaders and the marine corps that
caused the present COmmOtiOn.
49, Above all other considerations. Sec =
retary Daniels is charged with having
played politics in General Barnett $
removal
However. there is not the slightest
intimation that General Lcjeune per
sonally pulled the strings which gave
him the appointment Suspicion rests
rather on certain senator's whose in %
fluence in such matters is common
knowledge.
But this is not all. 1t is the theory
of the navy set and the marine corps
but not the theme Of heart to heart
talks and tete- tctes over society :
teacups. There is social angle which
has it's foundations in the bedrock q,
caste and feminine natures, if GOSSIP
runs true.
Mrs. Barnett In Inner Circle"
Mrs. Barnett, as II Montague of Vir,
inia, the widow of Beverly Gordon o
Baltimore, before her marriage to Gen,
cral Barnett, is something "a huciu
dictator. She is one of those who's,
word goes in society and whose CUES
lists are scanned and copied by climb
ers and aspirants for higher places il
the social scale.
There are certain little dinners ant
affairs of the exclusive set Of whicl
she is a member, to which even cabine
members and their wives are not in
Vited. The ''cabinet set" has its OwI
standing and connections, of course
and sometimes is the top covering Of tn
upper crust of capital society, but thi
is not true in the present administra
ton and less true of some of the mem
bers of the cabinet group.
Out of this situation, as the stor
goes, have grown jealousies and heart
hurnings. with now and then vcile
thrust or affront of the kind that al
felt rather than seen or heard and
the final analysis Mrs. Barnett an
Mrs. Daniels have not been on sue
intimate terms as might be desirable.
But not even Secretary Daniels's crit
les would accuse him of having bee
swayed by social considerations in Ger
eral Barnett's demotion, although it
believed in Informed quarters that Mr.
Daniels will not mourn the Barnett
departure.
4 Generally speaking, the navy s,
credits the political motive, and certai
Z, social leaders suspect social mOtiv
A few critics Of strong prejudices chars
fboth.
4 o. Is a soldier. Mrs. Barnett is silen
She Is a soldiers wife,