The herald., 1897-11-27
SOLDIERS AND OFFICERS

The difficulty of retaining enlisted men
in the United States army has for many
years engaged the attention of the coun-
try. Desertions from the ranks have
been of frequent occurrence, at times
assuming proportions which, were we
not at peace with all the world. would
be alarming. Many reasons have been
assigned attempting to account for this
military detection, to mitigate or remove
which the aid of congress has been from
time to time, with more or less success,
invoked. There is, however, one cause
of the trouble which even an act of con-
gress, though it may indirectly curb,
cannot wholly eradicate, towit: the per-
sonal bearing of the commissioned Off
GERS in their daily intercourse, on and off
duty, with the rank and file.
The courtmartial proceedings at Fort
Sheridan, ILL.,, in which Captain Lover
ing was charged with conduct "preju
dicial to good order and military dis
cipline," in ordering that Private
Charles Hammond should be dragged
by the heels to a summary court for
trial. have disclosed a condition of things
which, if common in like cases, would
| largely account for desertions from the
army of the United States.
Lieutenant Bernard was the officer
who, failing to bring Hammond before
the summary court, reported that fact
to Captain Lowering, then officer of the
day. The latter undertook to force the
recalcitrant private to trial. Hammond,
it will be remembered, was under arrest
and in his cell, and declared that he
would die before he would voluntarily
walk to the place of trial. Lieutenant
Bernard testified that Lowering went to
the prisoners cell and cursed him, say
ing: Damn you, come out" Corporal
New testified that Captain Lowering
kicked Hammond tiwce and "'prodded
him with his sword. He kicked him pret-
| ty hard, so hard, at least, that Hammond
fell and rubbed his side" when the
prisoner" he continued, had been
dragged down the guard house steps,
1 saw Lowering prod him again. That
time it was in the hand, and saw blood
trickle from the wound"
Sergeant Brainard's testimony was
quite interesting. He gave a minute
description of how Hammond was
dragged feet first over the sill of his
cell, then down the guard house steps,
hundred yards along the walk, down
over the curb and up again to the walk,
posite curb, up the steps to Company
DIS quarters, then down over the curbs,
and finally up the steps to the adju
tant's office. In reply to a question by
the Judge advocate as to Hammond's
| condition after this treatment, Brainard
stated that Hammond was crying when
he arrived at the place of trial; that his
clothing was torn, and that subse-
quently at the guard house Hammond
| showed him the cuts made by Captain
Coverings sword, which were all bleed
ing and were deep"
| This reads more like an extract from
modes of dealing with prisoners than
a page of the evidence in an American
courtmartial trial. And yet the testi-
mony seems to be wholly impartial.
1t is true, we are advised, that Corporal
New has been reduced to the ranks
since the affair occurred, but it is not
intmated that this fact influenced his
testimony. At any rate, it is time that
commissioned officers of the army
should be taught that the American
people, who are their masters, will not
tolerate any such gross abuse of power
as that testified to in this case.
| Doubtless the man, Hammond, is
pretty hard lot" but there is legal
way clearly and accurately defined, in
the military as well as in the civil code,
to punish INSTRUMENTATION in the army
of every grade. Commissioned officers
of the Lowering type must learn that
| the American citizen carries with him,
even when he enlists as q soldier, the
aegia Of the law. He does not forfeit
his civil rights by becoming amenable
to the military authorities.
Officers, field and staff and subordi-
nate, must be taught that the army
itself is the creature of the law; that it is
fed and clothed and paid by the people
of the United States just as any other
branch of the public service, and that
no officer, no matter what his grade,
can substitute his own will and his own
brutal force for the punitive arm pro-
vided by the law.
We are happy to say that Captain
| Lovering's case is an exceptional one,
and that as a rule the esprit de corps in
the United States army is in full har-
mony with the rule of justice and fair
play characteristic of the American
people.
A MANIFEST ABSURDITY
The Herald makes room today for a