New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-20
Board Rejects
Bill to Retain
Wood i'm Army
House Committee Rules 1t
Would Be Bad Precedent
for Him to Hold Island
and Military Positions
No Objection to General
Only Alternative Is for
Him to Go on Retired List.
TO Which He Is Eligible

From The Tribune's Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19.-Congres-
sional action permitting Major General
Leonard Wood to accept appointment
as Governor General of the Philippines
while still on the active list of the
army was completely blocked to-day
by the refusal of the House Military
Affairs Committee to report the bill
passed by the Senate last Monday.
During an executive session lasting
more than an hour the committee on
no record vote, laid Che measure on
the table. 1t is understood that the
opposition to the bill was virtually
unanimous.
Members of the committee, including
Representative J. c. Mckenzie. Repub-
lican, of Illinois. who led the frht
against the bill, were emphatic in thar
denials that there was the slightest
objection to General Wood personally.
lhey were unanimous in declaring their
admiration Of him, but equally insis-
tent that Congress could not establish
precedent which would permit the
general appointment Of active army Of
hcers TO executive places in the govern
ment. Such action, it was declared.
would be contrary to those doctrine
OF the Constitution which seek to pre-
vent any domination of the government
by the military.
Has Choice Of Retiring
The action of the committee. il il
said, leaves General Wood the choice
OF going on the retired list, to which
he is now eligible, and ACCEPTING the
governorship, or retaining his com
mission until October 8. 1924, when he
Will be automatically retired.
another factor which undoubtedly
lnhuenced the committee is the over
wh!,elmlng prejudice against anything
military or leg sIntion dealing with the
army which the large number of first
tcrners in the House have shown this
session. This feeling is said to be
but the unthinking reaction from the
war. 1t has, however. resulted in the
consistent rejection by the House of
the last three or four measures
brought out by the Military Affairs
Committee.
The failure of the House to approve
the Wadsworth bill was a disappoint-
nent to both the White House and
War Department. General Wood has
shovf to both President Harding and
Secretary Of War Weeks that he had
the grestest pride in an army career
and that he dsliked being in the gov
eminent service except as an army
man.
Eager to Serve in Islands
He was anxious to serve in the Phil
ippines, but desired to do 80 while on
the active list Of the army. The Presi-
dent and the War Secretary agreed that
General Wood was the ideal man for
the post of Governor General, and they
believed that his peculiar fitness for
the place justified change in the stat
utes prohibiting army men from occu-
pylng civilian governmental posts.
1t was made known at the White
House to-day that the proposed APP
pointment OF General Wood as Gov
ernor General had met with the heart
lest approval of the Philippine people.
The recent statement Of Manuel Que
zon, president Of the Senate of the
Philippine Islands. approving the APP
pointment, was cited as rejecting the
view Of the American army officer held
by the islanders.
Secretary of War Weeks, who was in
New York last night, said that the
tablng by the House committee Of the
Administration bill left no other means
Of meeting the situation.
The only course for the General"
he added, lis to go on the retired list"
Secretary Weeks passed through the
city on his way to the White Noun
tains. where he will spend the next
few DAYS resting