Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-10
M EDALS OF HONOR.
The New Assistant Secretary of War
Talks on the Subject
He Thinks More Care should BE Elk.
ercfsed in Regard to Proofs Of
Exceptional Gallantry.

IL mas been said In various quarters that
Assistant Secretary Doe proposed the in
auguration Of a radical reform in the mat
ter of awarding medals of honor to army
officers for distinguished services. In order
to obtain authentic information on the
subject Star reporter interviewed Gen.
Doe today.
Acts Beyond the Call of Duty.
ut is the opinion Of the present assistant
secretary of war;" he said. that congress-
ional medals Of honor were not intended to
be given to officers for leading their COM
mands in action, no matter what measure
of gallantry may have been shown in such
leadership. In his view of the law these
medals were intended as rewards for con-
spicuous acts Of personal bravery or self
sacrifice beyond the mere call Of duty, and
not for acts wholly within the line of Of
fetal duty, however nobly performed. There
are very many cases where the records
show most gallant and meritorious serv-
Ice but which are yet not within either the
letter or the spirit of the law upon this
subject. Medals of honor were intended by
Congress for officers or men who have, as
before stated, done something more than
what is expected Of every faithful soldier.
and the mere fact that this expectation has
sometimes failed and that all soldiers are
not equally faithful, brave and gallant
does not entitle an officer or man who SIM
ply did his whole duty to an honor of this
description. 1t is also true that nearly all,
If not ALL, of the officers of the volunteer
army entitled to such reward have long
since been rewarded-some Of them again
and againifer conspicuous bravery on the
field of battle.
Indian engagements.
"The new assistant secretary also thinks
that too little attention has heretofore been
paid to the gallantry Of officers and enlisted
men in Indian engagements. 1t is one thing.
he thinks, to face a brave and honorable foe
in civilized warfare, in which wounded pris-
oners are at least supposed to be cared for
and all prisoners treated as prisoners CT
war, and quite another thing to engage in
a greatly despised, but much more danger
GUS service in which 1t is a fundamental
maxim of the trooper or other soldier 10 re-
serve the last shot for himself. The assist
ant secretary Is a little severe on the news
papers, perhaps. in saying that the press is
partly to blame for the fact that people gen.
orally know too little OF the hardships
patiently borne, the self-sacriuci2g Spirit
and the fidelity to duty and honor, without
the hope or expectation of reward other
than the consciousness of well-doing and the
respect and appreciation Of ones comrades.
which has characterized so many Of the
officers and men of our army in the almost
constant skirmishing and struggling with
the Indians In the west since the war.
More Care ms to Proofs.
awhile no statute of limitations. should
be tolerated in regard to a question Of re-
ward rendered by an appreciative govern
ment for special acts of most conspicuous
personal bravery or self-sacrifice. and no
well-authenticated case should be ignored
because of the lapse Of time alone. yet 1t
seems as though, after nearly thirty years.
considerations in regard to the memory or
lack Of memory Of witnesses. to the failure
Of the reliability Of most classes of testi-
mony, which have such great weight In the
courts in establishing any question Of fact,
ought to render those having this matter in
charge more and more careful in regard to
proofs. Otherwise the natural and neces-
sary result Is an indiscriminate, unfair and
unwise distribution Of what was intended
by Congress TO be mark of the highest
distinction and the defeat of the clearly ex-
pressed will of Congress, by making such
mark Of bravery and appreciation q thing
Of little value, II not an object of scorn
Bravery and fidelity to duty are the char
acteristics of American soldiers, and It
cannot be that Congress had no more in
view In establishing the medal Of honor to
be awarded to those who should most dis
nnguish themselves in action. Where
nearly all are distinguished for bravery and
faithfulness, to most distinguish ones self
some act Of heroism, of intelligent and
open-eyed self-sacrifce is necessary, and
that either beyond or entirely outside of
the strict line Of duty"