Salt Lake Telegram | 1921-04-24 | Page 35 | Senate to Confirm Nominations of Generals

I L I LL L I I I i SENATE TO CONFIRM NOMINATIONS OF GENERALS Edwards Only Nominee Among 26 Opposed in inConsideration inConsideration inConsideration Consideration W WASHINGTON April 23 Despite some Democratic objection to Brigadier General Clarence Clrence R. R Edwards dwards the he senate military committee e today voted to o recommend confirmation of the twelve major and fourteen brigadier generals nominated recently by I President Pros Pres resident res- res ident Harding for promotion General Edwards who t the e Twenty-sixth Twenty New eW England division divi i sion slon overseas until relieved by General Pershing and returned home was the only nominee on the list under fire The committee vote on his name today was reported to have been 12 to 3 with the tIfe Democrats opposing and three oUters others others oth oUt ers voting yoUng for his confirmation Those said to have opposed General Edwards Included Senators Hitchcock Nebraska and McKellar Tennessee Senators Robinson of Arkansas and Myers of Montana ont na Democrats were reported to have hive joined the Republican committee members in supporting him Senator Sheppard of- of f. f Texas and Fletcher of Florida the Other Democrats on the committee declined to indicate their action 1 i FIGHT PR PROMISED Democratic opponents of General Edwards Edwards Ed Ed- wards whose name headed the list of nominees for major general intimated they would carry carry their fight to the senate floor No filibuster it was said sald 1 would be waged aged but a record vote at least east it was declared would be de dem de- de m Republicans predicted that the entire list of general officers would be bo ratified promptly by the senate thereby there there- by ly paving the way for a dozen more promotions to the rank of brigadier many other down through I the whole service and for selections of ofa a chief of ot staff start Members of the senate committee expressed expressed expressed ex ex- ex- ex r pressed pressed the belief that General Edwards would not be chosen chief of staff after aft aft- t er or r today's meeting meeting- at which Secretary Weeks was called in again today for further discussion of General Edwards Edwards' record Major General Harbord according accord- accord lag ins to opinion of ot prominent Republican senators would be selected chief of staff to succeed Major General Peyton C. C March LE LENGTH OF SERVICE I Asked as to to failure to include Colon Colonels ls George V. V H. H M seley and I Hugh Drum in the list for promotion to the rank of ot b brigadier Secretary Weeks was said to have told the committee committee com corn that their age was the entire compelling reason Neither have had b barely rely more than thap two twenty years ears service the minimum limit fixed in the recent army reorganization law for promotion promotion pro pro- motion to briga brigadier ler Ot Other cr older officers officers I cers of much longer service might be barred from ever attaining the rank of brigadier Secretary Weeks was said to have declared if Colonels Moseley and Drum were promoted Immediately Their promotion at an early date in any event is assured S Secretary Weeks is unde understood stood to have declared I Information submitted today by Secretary Secretary Sec See I Weeks regarding General Edwards Edward's Edwards Edward's Edwards Edward's Ed Ed- wards ward's record was given in executive Members of f the committee said I that it disclosed existence of f differences es between n General Pershing and General Edwards over the latter's course in commanding the Twenty-sixth Twenty division in France Franc ranc Secretary Weeks however was reported to have declared emphatically em- em lly that a thorough se search of the war var department files had been made without finding any record of ot such I charges as Democratic senators said saM th they y understood were on file P lING OPPOSES Secretary Weeks according to committee committee com corn members was said to have testified tes tes- tes- tes titled today that after opposition developed developed developed de de- de- de at yesterdays yesterday's committee meetIng meeting meeting meet meet- ing against General Edwards he ho had talked over the case last night with General PershIng The latter it was said told Secretary Weeks that he had hadnot hadnot hadnot not recommended General Edwards for promotion and if called on to act again would now recommend General Edwards Edwards Edwards Ed Ed- wards for a higher rank ra The element of reported difference between General Pershing and General Edwards was said not to have been held heid paramount by Democratic opponents opponents opponents op op- op- op o of confirmation Democratic senators said sald the issue was whether the senate should confirm for promotion promotion promo promo- tion an officer whom General Pershing had relieved from command virtually on the eve of battle Secretary Weeks was said to have taken the position that the promotions were a matter purely of judgment He was said to have a. a asserted j that considering all of I the facts and circumstances his honest honest honest hon hon- est judgment had dictated the recommendations recommendations recommendations rec rec- made in President Harding's Hardings Hardings Harding's hardIngs hardIng's Hard- Hard ings ing's list All of the nominations pf general officers along with that of ot Charles Charies G G. G Dawes of ot Chicago o to be a brigadier general g on the reserve list will be submitted to the senate Mon Mon- day No opposition was expected to the Daw Dawes s nomination