New-York tribune., 1921-05-15
a Assignments TO Big
Posts in Army Will
Depend ON Persllin.gy
Important Changes in High
Officers to Wait Until
He Is Chief of Staff
Many Vacancies Are Near
7Frons Ths T,40me's Washlnotoa Bareaa

Frons Ths Trtbune's Washington Bareaa
WASHINGTON. May Ia. General
John j. Pershing will be consulted by
Secretary of War Weeks before any
further assignment OF general officers
to Important posts in the military
establishment will be made. Many of
these assignments will be held up
until General Pershing actually takes
over the Office of Chief of Staff OF the
army July /. it was made known to-day
at the War Department.
There is only one Important ap
pointment that is expected to be made
without reference TO General Pershing.
This is the selection of national
guard officer to serve as chief of the
militia bureau. Under the army re-
organization act the President is di-
rected to name an officer who has had
ten years experience in the organized
militia as chief of this important hu-
reau of the War. Departments
Secretary Weeks indicated to-day
that the chief of the militia bureau
would be selected from the list of
dozen or more candidates within the
next few weeks. 1t is likely that Ad-
jutant General Martin, of Kansas, who
has been recommended by numerous
state governors and militia organiza-
tons, will be given the assignment.
Brigadier General Jesse Mel Carter, a
regular army officer, is now chief of
the national guard bureau.
Among the posts to be filled when
General Pershing and Secretary Weeks
look over the list Of eligibles are sew
eral of high I'M portance. Included
among these is the selection of an off
Ger to fill the vacancy in the Ninth
Army Corps headquarters at San Fran
cisco made by the retirement of Major
General Hunter Liggett. Another is
successor to Major General Adelbert
Cronkhite, commander of the Third
Army Corps at Baltimore, who has
been assigned to command the Ameri-
can troops in the Panama Canal Zone.
Major General Charles G. Morton will
soon retire and create a vacancy in the
Hawaiian department.
Major General Leonard Wood in
tends to retire after he has completed
his work of investigating conditions in
the Philippine Islands, and this will
require the assignment of an officer to
command the Sixth Army Corps at
Chicago.
The transfer of Major General James
G. Harbord from the command of the
I'd Division at Camp Travis, Texas, to
the office of executive assistant chief
OF staff Will occasion the assignment
of general officer to that division.
Other vacancies in important mill
tary posts are expected in the volun-
tary retirement of several officers who
have intimated to Secretary Weeks
that they desire to leave active service
1t is understood Major Generals Pey-
ton c. March and William NJ. Wright,
the present chief officers of the Gen
eral Staff, will be given choice assign
ments.
Whether General Pershing will make
any radical changes in the personnel
be decided upon until opportunity has
been given him to ascertain the quail
fications of the present staff officers.
Several vacancies will develop in the
General Staff between now and July 1,
as the present officers complete their
four years tour of duty, but none of
these vacancies will be filled until
Pershing assumes Office.