The Washington times., 1925-08-28

its first meeting last week in Wash
ington. Brigadier General James
E. Fechet, assistant chief OF the
army air service, is the chairman
of the committee.
The other members Of the com.
mittee are Lieutenant Colonel G. G,
Carter, professor at West Point
Major j. M. Wainwright, OF the
general staff, and Captain Eugene
o. Hopkins, Of the finance depart.
ment, recorder of the board. The
committee is securing facts, data
and information from officers OF
the air service. and Major J. II,
Jouett, chief OF the schools divi
sion Of the office of the chief OF
air service. . Is assisting in the
work.
Captain Lowell III. Smith and
Lieutenant Erik Nelson, two of the
world flyers, were presented with
distinguished service medals award.
ed by special act OF Congress, last
week at Rockwell Field. The pre-
sentation Ceremonies took place on
the spot where the flyers took off
on the first lap Of their trip around
the world.
Commander Arthur C. Stott, u.
s., N, who has been on duty IN
Washington with the bureau of
ordnance Of the Navy Department,
is to Be transferred to a destroyer
on the west coast, being relieved in
washington by Lieutenant Robert
T. barrow.
Aak
w. Mckee, u. S. N, recently at
Washington, will be detached from
the assignment and sent to the
west coast for sea duty. He Is to
be relieved by Lieutenant Com
mander Harry L. Merring, who
has been. at the Washington navy
yard.
Upon the retirement from active
service of Commander William d.
Greentham, u. s. N, he was re.
Iieved from his duty in charge Of
the naval ordnace plant at South
Charleston, w. Va, by Lieutenant
Commander William II. O'Brien,
~. s. N. Commander Greentham
retired from active duty on account
Of age, following more than twenty
years in ordnance work. He en-
tered the navy as an enlisted man
and was promoted until he reached
the rank in which he retired.
An interesting case involving. the
rayment of an army death gratuity
has been settled by decision which
will result in no payment being
made to a beneficiary of the late
Lieutenant Arthur G.. Watson OF
the air service, who died on May IL.
1925.
The officer had designated as his
beneficiaries, his wife who was
asterward divorced from him; his in
FAINT daughter. and his father and
mother. Following the separation
OF Lieutennt Watson and his wife.
the officer made an agreement with
his parents to take care of his in.
fant daughter until she had become
eighteen years of age and he was
to pay $40 q month for her main
The parents Of Lieutenant Wat
sen adopted their grandchild as
their legal child. The question OF
payment OF the gratuity by Captain
Carl Halla, Of the finance depart
ment of the army, arose from the
doubt as to whether the infant
daughter could be considered as a
beneficiary within the meaning OF
the law of 1919, next in. fine, TAX.
ing into consideration the divorced
wife and the fact OF legal adoption
prior to- the fathers. death.
The Comptroller. General says
1.-THE usual rule is that adoption
makes one a child Of the foster
parents. The adoption Of the In
fsnt daughter Of Lieutenant Watson
transferred the legal obligation for
Ter support from her father to
her adopting parents and it is
shown that there was evidence be-
fore the court that the adopting
PARENTS were in circumstances en-
ebling them to discharge the duties
thus imposed upon them"
It is held that the adopted child
of another person not in the army
Is not the child Of an officer Of the
army, and the payment is not au
tlorized.