Evening star., 1941-05-17
Gen. Kutz to Step Into Familiar
Role as McCooch's Successor
Previously Served
Twice as Engineer
Commissioner

A poker-faced pipe smoker, stern
in appearance but actually affable,
has been lifted from tight little
Office between filing cabinets in an
overcrowded branch of the War De-
partment to fill the job of District
Engineer Commissioner.
The man, Brig. Gen. Charles W.
KutZ. tall and straight for all of
his 70 years, is in line to replace
Col. David McCoach, jr., who will
relinquish his civilian assignment
at the District Building soon to
assume new duties In the Office Of
Chief of Army Engineers.
Gen. Kutz, his gray hair a bit thin
on top betrayed his emotions only
by q twinkle in his brown eyes
when informed late yesterday that
he was to be appointed by Presi-
dent Roosevelt TO the Board of Com
missioners.
That's nice" he said. "I1l be
glad to get back-and I'll probably
enjoy it very much"
Served Twice Before.
BY getting back, Gen. Kutz was
recalling that he twice before has
served as Engineer Commissioner.
Acting in such a capacity during
the emergency will be no novelty,
since he had the job both before
and after the World War.
WheE sought for an interview
after news of the change came from
the War Department, Gen. Kutz
was found at his desk. surrounded
by a wall of steel cabinets, in the
Engire GERS Office at First and M
streets NE.
He was reading British manual
on civil defense problems. His busi-
ness for the past two months, since
he was again placed on the active
list, has been to help the Army in
an advisory and consulting way on
such problems as they may affect
the United States.
Prior to being recalled to duty
with the rank of colonel, he had
led rather leisurely life, being
retired in November, 1929, at his
own request.
Knows ID. c. Officials.
Not only does he know what's
expected of him at the District
building. but he knows the men he
will work with. Commissioner
Melvin c. Hazen was District sur
veyor when Gen. Kutz was first
Engineer Commissioner. and he
knew Commissioner John Russell
Young when he was a newspaper
man
Gen. Kutz first served as Engineer
Commissioner from 1914 to 1917,
leaving for active duty that took
him overseas for a year. He COM
manded the 18th Engineers, a rail-
adoperating outfit that kept
A. E F. supplies rolling through
France.
His second tour of civilian duty
at the City Hall" was from 1918 to
1921. On his immediate return from
France, however, he commanded
Fort Humphreys, now Fort Belvoir.
Before going back to the Army in
1921, Gen. Kutz let it be known that
he favored the use of surplus Dis
trict funds for important construc-
ton work, and that he was all for
having fixed ratio between the
shares of the Federal and District
Governments in meeting municipal
expenses.
Opinions Little Changed.
Apparently he has not revised his
opinion, for he said yesterday that
he felt pretty much the same about
things" as he did 20 years ago.
Gen. Kutz, who lives with his wife
at 2032 Allen place NV, has two
married daughters, Mrs. Wilson G
Bingham of Los Angeles and Mrs
l.. T. Ross, whose husband is a
major in the Corps of Engineers
and a son, Capt. c. R. Kutz, sta
toned at Fort Benning.
The general has served in all with
eight other commissioners, beginning
with Oliver @. Newman and Fred
erick Siddons, and his two terms,
adding up to nearly six years. make
him the longest holder of the
Engineer Commissionership.
Although the appointment has yet
Ito clear the White House, the War
Department said the nomination
would be made by the President
and that Col. McCoach was expected
to leave before long to return to
active duty. He is expected to be
stationed here.
The War Department explained
that Col. McCoach was called from
his present post because the Army's
rapid expansion requires the use
of all officers who can be spared
from non-military duty.
Took Post in 1888.
Col McCoach, though recognized
as being exacting when the oc-
casion required. was regarded as be.
ing one of the most friendly anc
unassuming Army officers who evel
held the post of District Engineer
Commissioner
He has completed less than thre
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