The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-01
HONOR IN THE ARMY.
Extravagant Habits of officers who Receive
Small Salaries.


Small Salaries.
Washington Special.
So-caled army honor is myth That il to
say there is no higher sense of honor among the
army officers as a class than there is among peO-
pie OF equal education and position in other oc-
equations of life. / doubt if there is as much.
Army officers are placed in q false position
through the attention paid them by society. An
army officer comes to Washington and he is in
vited everywhere, and is called upon to associate
with people who have plenty of money. AS a
natural result he soon becomes involved finan-
cially. man who feels the sharp pressure of
debt cannot always afford the luxury of induig-
ing in the most rigid ideas of what is strictly
honorable. None of them have any bet
ter pay than the deps rtment clerks and
bureau chiefs. Yet these officers live at the best
hotels as general thing have carriages. dress
well, and are seen everywhere The department
clerks, who have equal salaries, live in the back
rooms of cheap boarding houses, wear shabby
clothes, and never 60 in society. A second lieu
tenant has 81. 400 year; first lieutenant, ST.
600, that is, if he is mounted. An unmounteC
first lieutenant gets $1,000. captain not
mounted is paid s., 500. captain mounted has
captain officers rank with the department clerks
so far salary goes. When you get above cap
tain, you strike the salaries paid to the chiefs of
bureaus. major is paid 81, 500 a lieutenant
colonel $1,000; colonel, 49, 500. 1t is only when
you reach the rank of brigadier- general that the
pay Of a senator member is reached. A brig
adler general is paid So, 800 A major general,
81, 800; and lieutenant general. $ll, ZOO.
When You look at the scale of expenditures of
the officers and at their salaries. ranging from
the pittauce of 81 900 of a second lieutenant to
The bank -tellers salary for colonel it is not to
be wondered that these officers sell everything
that they can lay their hands on to raise money
to exc out their small incomes They are exactly
like the department clerks in one respect, in
that they regard all that they get out of the
Government, In no matter what way, as exactly
so much clear gain. OF course there are excep-
tons but what have said will hold hold true of
the general class. At West Point where officers
of the highest grade stationed as instructors
of the youngsters sent to that institution, the
same lax ideas of honor prevail. Il mean the
honor of honest accounts. 1t is all very we'll to
talk about various kinds of honor but hold
that man who is dishonorable in money mat
tiers, who would make out an account that is not
strictly just. has no honor worth talking
about in other directions. Yet there had
grown up at this very place a custom
of army officers putting in bills to the govern
ment for mileage and other expenses every time
they went down to New York for personal bust
ness or pleasure. These accounts were sworn
to on their honor expenses incurred upon
business of the government So great NUS
ance had the preparation of these petty frauds
become that the Secretary of War had to 90 to
work himself to break it up. He found no en-
couragement from any of the army officers He
finally issued an order that army officer should
oo enIilleu W transportation upon leaNe Oh dU-
sence from his post without this leave of absence
was first approved by the commanding officer of
the department. This has put stop in a meas
ure to this class of small frauds But through
out the army there is the most lax notions about
money matters when it comes to the govern.
ments interests. 1t is very clear that civilian
should hold the position of Secretary of War
Such an appointment is alwaysa check upon the
military spirit of the army, which has con-
slant tendency to override statutes and set up
presidents based upon the convenience aud
needs of the officers themselves