New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-03-18
HARD PROBLEMS
FOR CAPT. Weeks
NEW SECRETARY OF WAR KNOWS
he MUST ADJUST MATTERS
BETWEEN FACTIONS.
PERSONAL FEELING IS HIGH
Charges Of Favoritism In Promotions
and Of Injustice Toward Certain OF.
ficers Will Be Sifted and Wrong
Conditions Corrected.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK.

BY EDWARD B. CLARK.
Westinghouse will be no Joy
cruise Oh which Capt. John w. Weeks
has embarked and which probably Is
TO continue for four years, and the
captain knows it. John W. Weeks is
the new secretary of war, but he won
his title of captain while serving as
sailor in the Spanish-American war.
de is a graduate of Annapolis.
Few people perhaps have a keen
perception Of existing personal con
ditlons' in the war department today.
The war brought various disagreeable
things AS its companions. and while
the war Is gone, it has left its ON
panions quartered, temporarily at
least, In the rooms Of the War depart-
ment. These matters have been dis
cussed before to some extent, but pur-
posely the virulence of personal feel
ing as between factions In the depart
ment has not heen dwelt upon. At
the root of the whole thing are the
charges Of favOritism and promotion,
and of the denial to officers of com
handing ability places To which they
were said TO be entitled, and the sub
stitution for them of men of inferior
rank and of perhaps less distinguished
service.
Congress today has held up the ON
irmation of twenty-five or thirty, or
perhaps more, officers who were COM
nissioned as brigadier generals. Most
of these officers We're given promotion
over the heads of seniors of the serv-
ice, and the charge of course Is that
favoritism IL responsible.
Must See That Justice is Done.
The new secretary of war must Of
necessity make it n of his first du-
ties to find N the truth concerning
every charge Of favoritism in promo
ton in the army, and must attempt to
deal out even-handed justice even If
the process shall result in throwing IA
lot of brigadier generals back into the
colonel rank and boosting a lot of col
onels into the brigadier ranks. II will
be no easy job to get the truth, and no
pleasant job TO deny the men already
named for general rank the right to
wear their stars.
Your correspondent can say that for
a month at least John w. Weeks has
beer studying the army situation. He
has been getting information from Of
ficers who have been connected In any
way with either faction to the army
controversy. There are plenty of such
officers, for many service men hold po-
eitions aloof from the influences of
f~actionalism. Army officers who have
been retired for some time, but who
have kept closely In touch with every
thing hat has gone on In the war de-
partment have been able doubtless to
give some counsel to the incoming
secretary.
II seems likely that almost as soon
the new congress assemblies mn at
tempt will he made to investigate the
whole matter Of promotions in the
Investigation may go deeper
than this.
Harding to Continue Conferences.
iolllltluilSs dAAoi hiiS W ~ Nv" |
point, praised or poked fun at Presi-
dent Hardlng's conferences with the
best minds" of the country. Some
persons have said that the aggrega-
ton of ~intellectuals really was such.
and others have said that there was
enough misunderstanding in the gath
erings 10 bring them far below the
basic plane In American mentality.
However one may view the new
many conferences, and the
capabilities of the numerous ones who
are called to them, 1t apparently is his
Intention almost instantly to start
his best mind" conferences, this
lime bringing into the conference hall
he leaders of the Republican party in
,ouse aud senate TO advise with them
concerning legislation and the meth
IDS by which II can be put through
During the last week of the Wilson
administration there were several
members of Mr.. Barding's chosen cab
net officials in Washington. They
we're In frequent conference with n
mother and with the Republican lead ,
RS of house and senate. Mr.. Harding ,
Il the very outset Of his adminlstra- .
will have in hand certain re- ,
,orts from these cabinet officials CIV :
ne advance Information concerning /,
rhat men like Lodge. Penrose. Ford I,
Mondell, Mann, McComber, Len
DOT, Gillett and others think should y,
q done TO expedite legislation and 7
0 satisfy the country" !
After the President has had q q
bance 20 study these advance reports :
is his Intention either personally to q
onfer with these leaders in a =
unch," or TO take them one by oDe 4,
ITO conference In order that he may =
e able without embarrassment to =
Ither party 10 the conference to get r
individual opinions concern 4,
IL the legislative course to be pur- !,
ned.
Foreign Reistions Difficult.
When IT comes to a question Of dis b
lssion concerning foreign relations, X