San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-01-21
WOULD RESTORE
RETIRED PAY To
GEN. HARTFORD.
Weeks Makes Statement on
= Action of House of
Representatives.
SAYS 1T AN INSULT
General Continues to Serve
His Country, He
Declares.

Washington, d. C., Jan. 2O.-Friend:
Of General Harbord expect to have the
Senate reinstate the provisions BY
which he would draw retired pay and
which were stricken out when the
House passed the army appropriation
bill.
Speaking of this action today, Sec
retay Weeks said:
"It is most regrettable from the stand
point of the War Department and the
public service that the House Of Rep
resentatiyes adopted an amendment TO
the army bill which in effect takes
from General Hartford, until recently
deputy chief Of staff, his retired pay
because he has become president Of the
Radio Corporation of America. The
reason given for this action is that he
has been employed by the company for
the purpose of obtaining more business
from the government than the company
could otherwise hope to secure. This
is an insult to General Harbord and
TO the government itself.
Faithfully Served Country.
~For nearly 10 years General Har-
bord has been faithfully and efficiently
serving the government and, regardless
of what position he may occupy in civil
life, the best interests Of his govern
ment will be his chief concern. Any
inference TO the contrary reflects on
the person making it.
AS a matter of fact, the govern
ments business with the Radio Cor
porstion is inconseQuential. At the
present time we have no contract with
ii, and, generally speaking, purchases
Of radio equipment, which are of small
moment in total amount, are made from
The manufacturers, But there is a
much broader question involved in the
action taken by the House.
, -~General Harbord, the son OF West
ern farmer. enlisted in the army. start
ing his military career as private. At
the beginning Of the world war, at the
age of 80, he held the rank of ma
jor. While his rank was not high, he
had already impressed himself upon the
War Department and his associates in
the army to such a degree that he was
made chief Of staff of the American
Expeditionary Forces. He went from
that position to the command OF the
Second Division, one of the most con-
spicuous fighting divisions in the army
- Made Chief of S. O. S.
E@He commanded this division dur
ing the Marne-Vehle campaign ant
when things were not going satisfac
torily in the service of supply ht
was transferred, greatly 10 his regret
To the head of that service, position
Of enormous responsibility and of thu
greatest Importance to the army.
al 81 snI -.
service that he brought to himself no
only the plaudits Of his associates il
the army, but attracted the attention o
men Of Importance in civilian life, VIII,
were temporarily serving the govern
lnent in Europe, in fact, so extraordin
airy were his services and -Organizin
ability that they have occasiOned con
tinual commendation from civilian
since the war. and it was because q
this capacity that he was called TO til
presidency of the Radio Corporation; a
the most competent available man 70
that particular service in the Unite
States.
Still Rendering Service.
"The development of radio is of vas
public Importance and there is, there
fore, a public reason why he should az
cept and fill that position. rctainin
his place on the retired list of the arm
so that he would be available for SCI
vice in an emergency. If a British o
ficcr, French officer or any officer {
any other nation had performed for h
government the service rendered b
General Hartford, instead OF having tn
stigma attached to him, that is, ii
inference that he is dishonest-nOt
mention taking away his retired pa
he would have been given hOnors (
very important character and certainI
in. the case of Great Britain a larl
honorarium as well.
II do not believe the people OF tn
country wish its great defenders treatC
in such a shameful way, and | shOu
think General Harbord would feel TIL
country that would tamely submit
such treatment of one of its office
was hardly worth serving. He will &c
tainly feel a sense of injustice whit
time can never efface."