South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-29
Gen. Wood is Heavyweight
of Presidential ASbirantS

Leonard Wood Is the heavyweight !
II the 1920 crop OF presidential can
didates. He weighs 1s5 POUNDS and /
lacks one inch OF being SIX feet tall
Ills chest Measurement is - inches
lie used 90 box with Col. Roosevelt
and he likes 20 play golf lie IS a
swim ner or marked ability.
The general gets most pleasure,
however, out 81 horseback riding
Although in his 60th year. he can
outTide either OF his two sons or
any man on his staff IL often has
been said his love Of riding account
"a for his descrti0n OF medicine In
favor OF "a straight army career.
In making his rounds as com
mauder OF the central department
of the army. Cen. Wood IS called
on many times TO speak on these
occaslors and during his campaign
Cor the presidency. he reaches the
platform fresh buOyaut and genial.
When ne starts speaking ne either
clasps his hands behind his back or
lrasps chair or platform rail in
front OF him. Yet none OF the force
of his argument OF clear present
meut is lost by his lack Of gestures
lie Invariably has created favorable
IMPRESSIONS. in the course Of ms
emI haucally
They say Cen. Wood never gives
orders he himself can't or won't do.
once in Cuba ne was training some
of his privates 90 swim. He wanted
them 10 be able 10 swim across
river with all their equipment on
TO prove 90 could be done. he strap
ped a big knapsack across his
shoulders. grabbed a gun and
plunged into the stream.
Leonard wood was born oct Q.
1850. at Winchester. ". H.. "a town
OF 1000 ira the southwestern cor
uer Of the state He attended the
sehools OF the vicinity. doing college
preparatory work AT Pierce
academy. MiddlebOrO. Mass. At "a
years old he had taken the Harvard
Medical School course. from which
he was graduated at the head Of
his class He had intended 10 be
surgeon in civil life.
Two years later. however. he re-
ceived appointment as a first lieu
tenant and assistant surgeon in the
nited States army. Right at the
outset he saw action. Assigned 10
the medical staff of Cen. Miles, he
took part In the campaign I'm Arr
iona against the Apache Indians
under Geronimo and Natchez. In
that campaign ne served as "A line
officer and surgeon and for his eX-
traOrdinary services he several
years later was awarded a congress
iOnal medal of honor
When in 1895 the war with Spain
broke out. Wood now married TO
Miss Louise A. Condit smith and
captain and assistant surgeon, re-
Cruited and organized the first regi-
ment OF United states volunteer cav
airy. the celebrated Rough
Riders" He was comm isSiOned
colonel Of the regiment and with
col Theodore Roosevelt he served
IN cuba
Wood was commissioned a briga-
dier-EeneraI in 1898 for gallant and
meritOriOus services at the battles
of san Juan Hill and Las Guasimas.
Tn the next year ne was promoted
TO major-general. lie served as such
for four months when he was mus
tered out of the volunteer forces
and later was reappointed a briga-
dier-general in the regular forces.
when the war was over, Wood
was named by Pres't Mckinley as
military governor of Santiago de
cuba and OF Puerto Principe. In
1899 he was again made q major
general and given the post of mill
tary governor Of Cuba Gen. Wood
served as governor OF the redeemed
island until 19O2, when il was turn
ed over by the United States to the
elected president OF the new repub-
lie OF Cuba.
During Woods regime in Cuba
the insanitary conditions in the is
land We're corrected. the death rate
reduced and d stable civil govern
mcnt established wood personal
" supervised the cleanup. which
was done mainly by regiments Of L.
= marines.
In Santiago conditions were de-