The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-05-08
EASY TO CORRECT RECORDS
Soldiers Wrongfully Charged with De.
sertiOn Need Not Apply to Congress.
The Secretary of War Has Power in All Cases
Where Mistakes We're Made-0nly the
Skulkers Must Have Special Acta
CHARGES OF DISCRETION.

Congressman Cultivate Explains How Sol
diers May Have Their Records Corrected.
Special TO The Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, May IA statement re-
Gently made In these dispatches respecting
the practice of ex- Union soldiers appealing
to Congress for special acts to remove the
charge of desertIOn against their military
records. for the sole purpose of securing
pensions. has attracted widespread atten-
tion in q. A. X. circles. Hundreds of let
ters aud petitions have poured into the
hands of members of the two houses of
Congress against the adoption of the bills
to remove the charges of desertion, except
where the testimony shows that the charge
of desertion is technicality and such as
could not he the fault of the soldier.
The Journal correspondent had talk to-
day with Chairman Outhwaite, of the
House committee on military affairs, re-
speeding the matter of correcting military
records ut the War Departments. Mr.. Outh-
waite is in position to know what can and
should be done in the premises. Congress
gave the Secretary of War authority and
absolute power. at the close of the war;"
said Mr.. Cultivate. Ito correct military
records and he has exercised that arbitrary
power III thousands OF cases. 1t expires
next month, i believe. and my committee
intend TO see that the authority is ex tended
for three years more. 1t Is the same kind
of authority that Is vested in the Com
missioner OF Pensions for the allowance of
pensions. There have been. of course,
many instances where the soldier was On.
titled to a good record and the authority
of the Secretary of War fell short
of the instance at hand. In such a case 10
was necessary, in order that justice be
- ~. -. l., 81
bill covering the case. 1t Is just so Ill pri-
vate pension bills. But the number of
instances where special act should DO
made In order TO grant an honorable dis
charge are few compared TO pensions. In
the matter of pension the testimony re-
quired is complicated and technical, while
in the matter of securing an honorable dis
charge the procedure Is plain, the testi-
mOny simple and easily obtained. / do not
believe that special acts should be made
for military records. except In remote eases
The remedy for soldiers who were re-
corded as dessrters from any fault
not their own was found in the
War Department.. and it was free from
cost 1t was only necessary to show that
the soldier was absent from his company
on account Of illness. or for any good
reason which would relieve him from sus-
piciOn that he intended TO shirk his duty
or be a deserter. and that it was not absO-
luteIy necessary for HIM to have furlough.
Then O discharge would issue at the hands
of the Secretary of War. The law is PLAIN
to cover the cases where the boys left the
ranks and hurried home at the close of the
war and did not wait for discharge. They
have never had any trou BILE to get an honor
able discharge. But those fellows who
were absent from duty just before an en-
gagement. or who, during an engagement
found 1t convenient to be at the rear. have
had trouble in getting q discharge, and
many have to come to Con ress for reiIef."
Mr.. Cultivate believes, as every other
sensible and reasonable man in Congress.
that there have been very many-prObably
not thousands-of bills introduced in Con-
gress during the past quarter of q century
which were meritoriOus. and which should
have become laws. as they did. TO meet
remote cases. conform to unusual circum-
stances. in order that the records of good sol.
diers should be made honor able. The mil
Itary committees of Congress have never
failed TO recognize the merit in these cases.
But there have been thousands and thou
sands of bills introduced to give an honor
a BILE discharge TO soldiers who were desert
ers. and who could not find comrades to
swear them ont at the War Department..
Most of them were ashamed to ask for hon.
orable discharges ct the War Department.
None of those bills have SO far been re-
ported in this Congress. although hundreds
of them axe In committee. 1t is the pride
and honor of the true and brave soldier
that effort is being made to protect.