Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-20
GEN. SUMMERALL
BIDS ARMY AD|EU;
SON FIRES SALUTE
Famous Soldier Is Retired as
Chief of Staff-LeaVeS
Service Next March.
CEREMONY TODAY BOTH
FORMAL AND INFORMAL
Trumpets Flourish as Commander
Completes Inspection Of Troops
at Fort Myer.
A flourish of trunpets, a salute Of IT

at Fort Myer.
A flourish of trumpets, salute Of II
guns from the heights Of Fort Myer and
a touching exchange of informal fare
wells marked the retirement today OF
Gen. Charles p. Summerall as CHIEF OF
staff of the Army.
The ceremonies also signaled the
generals withdrawal from active mill
tary duty, for today he went on leave
until his technical retirement from the
Army by reason Of age on March .,
next.
Son Directs Final Salute.
An interesting feature Of the ex-
ercises which constituted Fort Myers
"nersonal" farewell to its most dis
tino1Iished resident was the fact that
the final artillery tribute was fired by
a battery commanded by the generals
son. Lieut.. Charles p. SummeraH, Jr,
who Is stationed at the cavalry posi-
In taking leave of the Army. Gen.
Summerall exhorted his comrades TO
continue their fidelity and tortitude IN
maintaining the proud traditions OF the
,1rofession of arms" and declared the
military service has won 1.-THE confidence
of the people and Of the Government.
Fort Myers good-by to the Armys
senior ranking officer and World war
hero was a strange and impressive mix
ture of the formal and informal.
General Clasps Hands Of All.
The informal note was lent by Gen.
Summerall himself, who not only re-
ceiyed the formal tributes in civilian
dress, but who later diSmounted from
his car as he left the limits OF the
reservation to shake the hand OF each
of the 30-odd officers who had escorted
him to the foot of the reservation.
The veteran soldier and the younger
officers whose hands he graSped ana 70
whom he addressed individual words OF
greeting were all plainly affected by the
occasion.
some of the officers present had
served under Gen. SummeraH in
France, while the latter was in COM
mand Of the LIST Division and the 5th
Army Corps.
Called per Schedule"
"Old Per Schedule" was the nick
name bestowed on Surnmerall, not all
ways affectionately, by many who felt
the pressure Of his discipline during his
nearly 40 years Of military service. He
believed in getting things done on time.
Today Summerall bowed to the man.
dates Of another schedule. Under Army
regulations the chief of staff serves q
four-year term. and tomorrow q new
chief takes the post. He is one Of the
younger general officers, Mai. Gen.
Douglas Macarthur. The rules Of the
Army also cause the automatic retire.
ment of Gen. Summerall from the Army
on his Sixty-fourth birthday anniver-
sary in March.
As Gen. Summerall emerged from his
official residence at the fort at o'clock
this morning he found q company of
man, q mounted color guard, the Sd
Cavalry Band and all officers Of the post
lined up in the road.
Pictures Taken Of Ceremony.
While news and movie photographers
recorded the event for the public, the
band greeted the general with the usual
fiourishes and ruffles, the colors were
dipped and Summerall, accompanied by
Col. Harry N. Coote, commanding off,
Ger Of the post, and Capt George Foster,
the generals aide-de-camp, began an
inspection Of the troops.
The inspection completed, Gen. Sum-
neral walked to point near the flag
staff at the front of the reservation and
stood at attention, while his son di-
rected the firing Of the generals salute
of II guns.
summeral then entered his car and
was escorted to the edge of the grounds,
down winding hill lined with SOL
diers, where the mounted group of of
f1cers dismounted and received the final
informal farewell
Details Of the tribute were arranged
by Capt. M. A. Devine, tr, Sd Cavalry.
Leaves Today for Florida.
Gen. and Mrs. Summerall were to
leave later today for their home, at
Eustis, Fla.
Gen. Summerall's formal statement to
the Army today follows in part:
REIMBURSEMENT of ONCE of chief of
stan anticipates by only a few months
my definite separation from the Army's
active list. I have been privileged to
see the Army develop in my lifetime
from q clustered and little-understood
profession into a national agency, in
intimate contact with the Republic
which 1t serves. Never before has Amer
lea appreciated national defense so
fully In the light of civic obligation.
Within and without the military service
1t is generally realized that in the SOL
der we find the fundamental virtues
of the citizen. The National Guard, the
Oficers' Reserve Corps, the Reserve Of
ficers' Training Corps in the schools
and colleges and the citizens military
training camps represent the highest
form of patriotic service. The earnest
and enthusiastic response which they
make to their country's requirements
for defense constitutes an unimpeach-
able testimony to the Soundness of
Americas moral fiber. The various
components which work so loyalty, I'M
derstandingly and effectively to form
the Army of the United States are in
very truth one cohesive whole because
they possess the common denomination
of citizenship"
Hurley Pays Tribute.
Secretary Hurley paid Gen. Summer
all the following tribute.
Throughout his military career Gen.
Summerall has demonstrated his splen-
did vocational attachments. He Is an
outstanding technician and tactician,
a great executive and brilliant combat
leader. AS chief of stan he has handled
the problems of the Army constructively.
The present high state of efficiency of
the Army and the civilian components
tive leadership, his wise counsel, his
wealth Of experience, and his unswerv-
ing loyalty. His high sense of duty,
his splendid ability and his patriotism
have been inspiring to those of us who
have served with him. ] shall always
look back with pleasure and satisfac-
ton upon our service together"
Turkey Dinner Planned.
MCLEAN, Va, November 20 (SpeciaD.