The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-04
Gambling in the Army.

Brig. Gen. W. NJ. DUNN enjoys the privl-
lege of wearing the title and drawing the
rich pay OF Judge Acknowledgement Of the
Army. Got up in full uniform, with cpau-
lettes OF gold and q gorgeous dress sword
he Is, of course, an imposing martial per-
sonage, so far "a appearance goes. and the
boys in the streets Of Washington cannot
fail TO gaze with admiration on him. a. ho
drives at the peoples expense 10 HAYEs'S
receptions.
Put really the people have no need OF the
services OF this son Of MARS, and II costs
them large sum annually to maintain
him, with all his retinue OF subordinatcs.
The whole of the Judge Advocates depart
ment might, in truth, be abolished without
anybody's feeling the loss, except the OIL
GERS who now compose it and get hand
somely paid for little work. Such duty as
they do could be equally we'll done by de-
tails from the regiments, as the army itself
well knows. The country can't afford TO
support n lot OF unnecessary army lawyers,
even " they do make handsome show In
a drawing room.
Brig. Gen. DUNN has just made what
ought to be his last annual report 10 HAYEs's
Secretary OF War. 1t has very little In it to
interest the public, though much in
tho interest OF Gen. Dunn and his fifth
wheel department He wishes Congress- to
put his subordinates in the way of promo
ton, complains OF the reduction made in
his clerical force at the last session, and
wishes the discharged clerks back again,
catalogues his legal decisions, and recon-
monds the passage Of bills to further mag
nifty his Office.
All this IL only the ordinary talk OF an
official who is eager TO keep his place
and magnify its Importance. But there Is
one Recommendation he offers which is both
interesting and suggestive. He wishes
Congress to pass law making gambling
an offence punishable by the military code,
as IL is now by the naval code.
II Is doubtless true that our army officers
are very often great gamblers. Many OF
them have nothing else TO do except TO play
poker and drink whiskey. That seductive
game into whose mysteries an American
Minister indicted the Court of st. James's,
chases away their melancholy and gives
employment 10 their rusting faculties,
whether they seek to kill time on the Plains
or in loallng places in our Eastern cities.
No wonder, so constant is their prac-
tice. that few years after getting their
commissions our army officers are pretty
sure to turn out nrst-rate poker players.
Unless a man is a very good hand at the
game, he will be wise To resist the tempta-
ton 10 sit down with them at cards.
or course this tendency TO gamble, a ten
dency which many unoccupied men with
sure Income, In no wise regulated by the
amount of the work they do, share with
them, impairs the trustworthiness OF army
officers as custodians OF public moneys.
When an inveterate gambler has staSed and
lost all his own money he Is in mood to
hazard that OF other people, II any chances
to be in his keeping, 10 win back what he has
80 foolishly parted with.
Gamblers. therefore, are very dangerous
public servants. But how can you stop
gambling by law in the army? Has the legal
prohibition dri"en it out Of the navy? II
the army officers wish to gamble, they will
evade the laws against 1t, however skilful
the enactments may be constructed Not
law, but public opinion, tho opinion OF their
| own corps. must DO relied on TO stop gam
bling; and everybody who knows anything
about the army at all knows very well that
the officers are almost necessarily gamblers
or the apologlsts of gamblers.
The only way TO get rid of gambling in
the army Is TO get rid OF the officers Of the
army. And to do that you must abolish the
army. and rely on the militia for such mill
tary service as we really need. Unless Con
gross can change human nature, it can't
prevent our army's being school for the
learning OF the doctrine of chances. as ex-
pounded by GRANT and INGALLS,.
| They had Wine on the Table