The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-09-21
CARE OF THE SOLDIER.

The Press and the correspondence OF
the enlisted men no doubt greatly eX-
aggerate the mismanagemen Of army
affairs, except on the battle field. But
mismanagement causing discomfort,
disease and death does exist. DR..
Kennedy, a surgeon stationed at San
tiago publicly declares that sick men,
in their agony through sheer neglect,
committed suicide. An order issued by
the Adjutant General authorizing sur
geons to spend 90 cents per day on
each man in the hospitals, has been
neglected by some of the volunteer sur
geons.
The people, with their sons at the
front, undergoing needless suffering on
behalf of a grateful country" are ex-
asperated, and insist on thrashing
somebody.
The man who, through a pull with
the politicians, has secured an officers
billet for his incompetent Kon, joins
in the howl against the Government,
in spite of the fact that he has selfish
ly done his share in Gripping the Gov
eminent.
The proposition that war is an art,
or business that demands for it's sue
cess the best talent, education and
training, carries little meaning to the
mind Of the average man, especially to
the American who turns his hand to
anything, with more or less success.
When he does Strike his head against
the hard, relentless wall of experience,
then he becomes indignant and hunts
for victims INCREASINGLY great as we
are as a people, there has been no dis
pensation especially setting us free
from the general rules of conduct. If
a land lubber is put in charge of a
steel cruiser, his navigation and fight
ing will not be the best IF you put
a farmer in charge of a hotel filled
with a thousand people" said SOL
der on the tram-car yesterday, you
can't expect any comfort"
Napoleon had a grovelling way of
watching the belly of the soldier. Like
the ancient Kanakas, he considered it
the source of power. Courage, hope,
discipline, steadfastness, health, de-
ponds upon it. Even the god of bat
ties" seems to take the same practical
view of it. The Regular knows by eX-
perience that the belly does not when
empty, or neglected, respond to pat
riotic addresses, and he prefers a
square meal to the inspiration of
Rally Round the Flag"
American officers like to tell us how
the French army feeds itself. Every
French soldier is a cook in some de-
gree Experience of hundred wars
has ciphered out the best dish and it's
quick preparation. IN the camp, on
the march and even on the battle field
the pot au feu is found. Meats, vege-
tables and bread in proper proportions
cooked together make a most savory
dish. Every man knows how to cook
it, and lends a hand, if necessary, in
cooking it. Even on the march the
French soldiers, under every kind Of
inconvenience, will get up better and
more attractive meal than can be
American homes where the art of cook
cry is not understood Gen. Sheridan
noted the rapidity and ease with which
the German soldiers prepared their
meals.
When the American people suddenly
called an army of $50, 600 men into
camp and field, it had its eye on the
wicked Spaniards, and not on the ket-
tie, and the belly, and the details
which determine life or death. If any
one had said learn how to take care
of men before you put them into I'M
usual and dangerous conditions" the
reply would have been, ride that man
on a rail-
1t is said that an unusually large
proportion of the men at Camp Nc
KinIey are on the sick list. 1t is said
that balanced food is lacking. A reg
iment or two near a city Of 10000 in
habitants should be able to command
the best nutriment What would hap
ven if 5000 men were stationed here?
The pity of it is, that money and ma
kerial throughout the country is eX-
haustless. Yet men must suffer hard
ships, as if they were with Washing
ton in his New Jersey camps. The ma
ton burns its fingers, not at the Span
ish fires. but over the hot Goals of its
own ignorance.
The moral of it is, either keep out of
the business of making war, or make
a business of preparing for it, as other
nations do.
In the meantime, every soldier who
dies through neglect is human sacri-
fee offered up by the people to the
gods of Ignorance.