The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-11-02
THE WAR INVESTIGATION.

The sober testimony taken by the
War Investigating Committee is in
many respects quite in contrast with
the hystericaI reports of the yellow
Journals regarding acknowledgement in
army affairs. Unfortunately, in many
cases, those who have made charges
against officers have made them on
hearsay evidence. Many of the ''reli-
able" reports about shameful neglect
prove to be no more reliable than the
ordinary but exhilarating Honolulu
gossip, which tones up the moral body
for while, and then, like other food
or drink is absorbed into the system
and disappears.
1t was reported to this paper recent
ly, and very circumstantially that a
sick soldier had waited for treatment
all day at the general hospital, but had
not received it. In order to test the
truth of this statement, we traced up
its sources, with no little trouble and
expenditure of time, and finally dis
covered that it had no foundation. The
excellent management Of the hospital
overburdened as it is with work, made
us hesitate to believe the rumor.
No one denies that the quartermas-
ter, the commissary, and the medical
departments, of the army need recon
struction. These departments were
quite sufficient for an army of $4,000.
They are utterly inadequate for an
army Of 278,0OO men. The people,
through Congress, refused to provide
for any emergencies The people hay-
ing forced the army into a hole" do
not propose to take their share of the
blame for doing it.
The testimony before the War Com
mission is doing much good Under
oath, and subject to rigid examination
the truth comes out. The medical
officers state that it is the common
practice for volunteers to refuse to
obey the orders of their officers, in
sanitary matters. 1t is an incident of
engaging in war with volunteer troops.
When Capt. A orders Privates and
who are his social and business
equals at home. to clean out sinks,
b and c feel that Capt. A is putting
on airs They feel that the captain,
instead of ordering them TO do it,
should lend a hand himself. When an
entire company is ordered to muster
shovels and clean sinks, there is, at
first, live sentiment that such SER
IL. =, I,
have enlisted to plant the banner of
Freedom in the Islands of the Pacific.
But the American soldier is too in
telligent not to see, after while, what
his duty is. and then he sees that he
can discharge the humblest duty, and
yet plant the banner of Freedom.
We suspect that much of the trouble
in Camp Mckinley is due to this cause.
The colonel of a volunteer regiment
must have a rare faculty, if he can en-
force sanitary rules at first. His pa
thence is sorely tried. TO discipline his
officers and men for failing to do their
duty, is impractcable. He must slow
ly educate them.
VI course, lnct6 10 tt = SdL hlllS SAANC
in regimental commanders, in this re
spect. Every hour of the Civil War
showed the remarkable difference in
the conditions of regiments, substant-
tally in the same environment. The
character of the regimental cOmman-
der was clearly reflected in his officers
and men, after due time had passed
for educational work. The great
armies OF the Civil War did not find
out how to take care of themselves
until the second and third year of eX-
perience had passed. The sacrifice of
human life in learning the business OF
war, was vastly greater than any OF
the human sacrifices offered up by the
heather in these parts, on the heiaus.
SFrnpN