Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-02
GEN. HART EXPIRES
AT WALTER REED
Dies Shortly After Rogers.
Other Figure in Noted
Army Dispute.

Maj. Gen. William H. Hart. quar-
termaster general of the Army, died
early today at Walter Reed Hospital,
where he underwent a major opera
ton a fortnight ago for a serious in.
ternal disorder. He had been at the
hospital for several weeks.
Gen. Harts condition had been such
since the operation that little hope
had been held out for his recovery.
although at one stage it appeared he
was conValeScing. While the exact
nature of the ailment was not dis
closed at the hospital, it was under
stood the trouble was of cancerous
origin.
The veteran Army officer would
have been g. years old in March. His
four-year term as Quartermaster gen.
eral would have expired next August
Controversy With Rogers.
The death today of Gen. Hart erased
from the picture the last principal in
a startling Army controversy, which
began some months ago with the fl
ing of serious charges by the late
Maj. Gen. Harry L. Rogers, former
quartermaSter general, who died De-
cember 12 in Philadelphia. Gen.
Rogers alleged that Gen. Hart. who
was his successor in Office, had
brought improper pressure to bear in
seeking to terminate the formers
tenure as quartermaster general.
The chief of staff of the Army
was furnished with affidavits by a
woman society paper writer to the
effect that Gen. Hart gave her in
formation for publication which was
derogatory to Gen. Rogers, and that,
further, Gen. Hart had signed the
name of a society paper to a tele-
gram urging Secretary of War Weeks
to investigate Gen. Rogers admins
tration Of the Office of quartermas aster
general. At the time of the alleged
happenings, three years ago, Gen.
Rogers was nearing retirement, and
he charged that Gen. Hart attempted
10 discredit him in the eyes of his
superiors in order to- get his job. :"
Found Unwarranted.
The charges were fully investigated
by the War Department and found
10 be unwarranted, it was announced
last October. Gen. Rogers failed TO
appear personally in Washington in
substantiation of his charges, due
to i'll health, and several of the wit
nesses alleged to be involved in the
controversy were said to have given
conflicting accounts of the trouble.
Gen. Rogers. who had been under
treatment in Philadelphia for heart
trouble. died rather suddenly.
Gen Hart succeeded Gen. Rogers
as quartermaster general on August
28. 1922. In announcing the formers s
selection Secretary Weeks said: "Col.
Hart was selected for this important
post not only because of the high
efficiency diplayed by him during and
since the World War. but because
Of the uniform excellence of his en-
tire service as an officer in the Army
and his familiarity with the details
and functions of the Quartermaster
Corps"
Decorated i'm France.
When appointed quartermaster gen
eral he was on duty as quartermaster
supply officer and general superin-
tendent of the Army Transport Serv-
ice. New York and was commended for
this service by the Secretary of War.
During the World War Gen. Hart,
then a colonel. served as quartermas-
ter OF Base Section ]. St. NaZaire,
France. He was awarded the Distfn-
suished Service Medal for exceptional
lv meritorious and distinguished serv-
ices, and France gave him the decora-
ton of the Legion of Honor.
Gen. Hart was unmarried. His near
est surviving relative. it was said to.
Law at the War Department, is a cous.
in who will make ARA ngements for
the funeral upon his arrival here from
the Middle West. 1t is expected inter
ment vii be in Arlington National
Cemetery.
Gen. Hart resided at 24o0 Sixteenth
street.
Gen. Hart was born in Minnesota.
March 90. 1864 He graduated from
West Point in 1888. was commissions
ed a second lieutenant Immediately
and was rapidly promoted through
the grades to colonel of the Quarter
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