Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-06
P'RUSS|AN|SM IN q
Army, MAJOR SAYS
Favoritism and Insffioisncy
Rule, Alleges officer, Him
self Under Charges

Washington, Feb. 0.--Major Nal.
colin Wheeler. Nicholson, Of the Thira
United states Cavalry, who riskej
court" martial Cor insubordi ma ton in 60
Ing over tho heads of his NipcriOrs to
send letter direct to President Hard
ing. alleging that Prussianisn." ia
.oritism and incfficcncy ruled In the
treatment Of junior officers In the
army, said Inst night he Ind made the
hargcs regardless of consequences to
himself for the good Of the service
The officer. being treated at Walter
Reed Army General Hospital for nn in
jury to his ear caused by the mistake
Of a guard who shot him when he
sought to enter for sleep the home Of
q. fellow officer at Gimp Dix who was
absent. when informed that the inti-
nation had been made that his letter
to the President might he an attempt TO
ilidc his own 'precarious status" lie
been slated for Glass Il and dis
inissal for alleged inrficiency. and hav.
ing been ordered before n court martial
at Camp Dix for alleged absence with
out !eavc and alleged disobediencc Of
orders. said:
II have no desire to raise any smoke
screen around my own record and treat
ment In the army. I court the fullest
and fairest investigation of the allcga
tons contained I'm my letter to the
President. The allegations can be proven
matter. hut much broader. 1t runs TO
the very heart of things in the army"
He gave the names Of several
Senator's. and also named scnior Off
GERS whom hc regarded as standing in
tho way of justice in his own case. One
Of these was Brigndicr General Fred w.
SMden. Of Fort Sheridan. H., who has
l,Ft been chosen to succeed General
Douglas Macarthur as superintendent
ut West Point. and who was commander
cf the First Brigade al Coblenz when
Major Wheeler Nicholson was serving
there.
Major Wheeler. .Nicholson's letter to
the President follows in part:,
THE army is suffering from a reign
Of Prussianism. The better type of Of
ficers are leaving the service. Protest
and criticism are punished by every
conceivable form of injustice and il
legality. Juniors are openly pcrsc-
cuted. Seniors arc not only protected in
wrongdoing. but IRE rewarded for OPP
type of officer is assured Of advance;
Anglo. Saxon ideals Of justice and fair
play are being rapidly replaced by ira
ditions foreign to the American, Ma
tion. Justice is not only perverted
and denied, hut the laws are openly
foutcd.
"A vcritable reign of terror exists
among the junior officers Of the army
today. This is caused by the unhin-
drred power of the clique to have any
officers discharged from the service by
operation of what is known as the
Class Il law. The scandals already per-
pctratcd by the abuses Of this law will
shock the country when they are eX-
posed. as they inevitably will he. Of
ficers dare not protest against the many
wrongs perpctrated By this clique for
fear of immediate discharge from the
army by the arbitrary use Of this law.
Unless amended. It will inevitably sue.
coed In driving every liberal minded and
progressive officer from the army. 1t
will leave only the rcactionary elements.
A future war will then be followed by
an aftermath Of scandal and invcsti-
cations worse than the last war;