Evening star., 1925-08-02
ARMY.

Official confirmation was made this
week by the War Department of the
statement made in this column last
Sunday relative to the selections of
general officers to fill the vacancies
created by the retirement of Maj.
Gen. Samuel d. Sturgis, yesterday,
and that Of Maj. Gen. Joseph E.
Kuhn, who retired from active serv-
ice Friday on his own application,
after more than 40 years service.
After holding a consultation with
the Secretary of War, Acting
Secretary of War Davis recon-
| mended to the President that
Brig Gen. Johnson Hagood be made a
major general dating from today,
vice Maj Gen. Samuel d. Sturgis;
/ Brig. Gen William D. Connor, to be
a major general from September l,
1925, vice Maj. Gen. Joseph E. Kuhn;
Col. Charles d. Rhodes. Cavalry to be
brigadier general dating from today,
vice Brig. Gen. Johnson Hagood. pro-
moted; and Col. William NJ. Cruik-
! shank. F. A, to be a brigadier general
from September 1, 1925, vice Brig Gen.
Connor, promoted.
simultaneously. the War Depart
ment announced that Maj. Gen Mason
NJ Patrick chief of air service,
whose present term of office will eX-
pire on October 4, 1925, and Maj.
Gen. Eli A. Helmick, inspector general
of the Army, whose present. appoint
ment expires November II, 1928, had
both been recommended to the Presi-
dent for reappointment for four
years from the expiration or their
present appointments.
No surprise was occasioned by the
retirement of Gen. Kuhn, as his sep
ara ton from the active rolls of the
Army has been mentioned. AS men
toned in this column last Sunday,
there is a general feeling throughout
the military establishment that in
filling the vacancies not only in the
grade of brigadier general, but that
of major general also, seniority
should be one of the determining fac
tors. Considera ton was given by the
War Department in the selection of
brigadier generals and colonels for
promotion. Gen. Hagood, however,
did not head the list of brigadier gen
erals, and the only officers to be
passed over on this list were John D..
Barrette, on duty at the Army Base.
Boston, Mass, and Dwight e. Ault
man, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind.
Reports were current in Army cir
cles this week that Gen. Aultman
would fill the approaching vacancy
ment of Maj. Gen. George B. Duncan.
on October 10, and that Brig. Gen.
Fox Connor, General Staff. CA, would
be selected for the vacancy that will
be created when Maj. Gen. William
H. Johnston is placed on the retired
| list on October 19. Neither of these
reports could be confirmed, however.
Reports circulating in the War De-
partment this week indicate that
| there will be an extended shift in
high Army commands by early Fall
announcement of which will be
| made, probably upon the return of
| Secretary Weeks to his duties In the
War Department this Fall. 1t is
| pointed out in the War Department
that none of the three Regular Army
| divisions have permanent command
ers. The 1st and I'd Divisions
are at present commanded, respec-
lively, by Brig. Gen. Preston Brown
| and Brig. Gen. Paul B. Malone, while
Brig. Gen. Joseph c. Castner is in
! command of the Calvary Division at
Fort Bliss, Texas. Another impor-
| tant Army command to be filled is
the 4th Corps Area, made vacant
by the recent transfer of Maj Gen.
| Douglas Macarthur to the Sd Corps
Area. In addition to these va
cancies to be filled, there is an ap-
| preaching vacancy in the 7th Corps
Area, which will be created by the
retirement of Maj. Gen. George B.
| Duncan on October 10.
Col. William Elliott, @. M. c., chief
Of the personnel division, office of the
Quartermaster general. returned to
| Washington this week from an ex-
| tended inspection of the Quartermas-
ter Corps activities which took him to
| the Pacific Coast and to Panama.
The Quartermaster Generals Of
flee announced this week that Col.
Henry c. Whitehead, @. NJ. c., will
be assigned on August l to duty as
| chief of the Remount Service, this Of
flee. He relieves Lieut.. Col:' Robert
Sterrett, Q. NJ. c., who has been or
| dered to the Washington depot.
! Although studies have been made
| of a number of projects, only two
measures of general interest were
taken up by the legislative committee
of the War Department this week in
anticipation of the Departments leg
islative program during the next ses-
| were Mrs. Young, from Dumfries,
Va; Mrs. Clara Nevins and Mrs.
IIol H.. - ~,